BERKELEY 

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LIBRARY 

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K 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


TROUT  FLY-FISHING 
IN  AMERICA 


BY 


CHARLES  ZIBEON  SOUTHARD 

ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  COLORED  PLATES 
BY  H.  H.  LEONARD 


NEW  YORK 

E.  P.  BUTTON   &   COMPANY 

1914 


Copyright,  1914 
By  E.  p.  Dutton  &  Company 


TO 

JOHN   LANSON   PHILBRICK 

OF 

Rangeley,  Maine 

For  many  years  my  guide,  companion  and  friend,  to  whom 
I  owe  more  than  I  can  express  of  pleasure  and  information  in 
the  art  of  fly-fishing. 


iV)8'i2774 


PREFACE 

As  a  fly  fisherman,  with  more  than  a  quarter  century's 
experience  behind  me — ^years  in  which  I  have  caught 
trout  on  many  lakes  and  streams — I  have  become  con- 
vinced that  there  is  a  large  number  of  young  anglers  who 
will  find  in  the  book  I  have  written  something  to  interest 
and  help  them. 

And  if  any  of  my  older  brothers  of  the  rod  may  think 
I  have  dealt  in  some  chapters  at  too  great  a  length  on  what 
seem  to  them  elementary  matters  connected,  perhaps, 
with  the  necessary  equipment,  I  ask  them  to  cast  back- 
ward to  a  day  when  they,  too,  were  beginners  at  the  game 
and  unfamiliar  with  its  very  alphabet.  They  will  remem- 
ber surely  that  a  few  words  of  friendly  counsel  by  an  ex- 
perienced fly  fisherman  may  save  the  tyro  many  disap- 
pointments and  give  him  a  knowledge  which  otherwise 
could  only  come  with  the  experience  of  many  months. 

I  am  very  glad  to  notice  that  each  successive  season 
brings  more  aspirants  for  angling  honors  to  those  beauti- 
ful lakes  and  streams — homes  of  game  fish — ^which  our 
country  has  to  offer  in  abundance. 

And  if  my  little  work  helps  any  of  these  young  fly 
fishermen — anglers  destined  to  fill  our  shoes  when  we 
older  men  have  laid  our  rod  aside  forever — and  aid  them 

vii 


PREFACE 

in  understanding  what  a  glorious  sport  it  is  and  how  with 
a  moderate-priced  outfit,  some  observation  and  normal 
intelligence  they  may  attain  a  reasonable  degree  of  skill 
in  it,  I  shall  not  mind  if  those  who  disagree  with  my 
views  chuckle  at  the  fact  that  their  enemy  has  written  a 
book. 

And  I  am  not  without  hope  that  some  of  the  older 
and  more  skilled  among  fishermen  will  also  find  chapters 
that  will  interest  them.  They  have  been  written  by  a 
practical  man  who  started  fly-fishing  with  an  open  mind, 
no  axes  to  grind  and  no  pet  theories  to  hamper  him.  What 
knowledge  I  have  gained  of  trout,  their  habits,  haunts, 
and  the  best  way  of  catching  them,  has  been  based  on  a 
careful  study  of  their  ways,  which  has  grown  keener 
every  year. 

I  have  not  written  with  the  intention  of  provoking 
controversy,  because  I  am  assured  that  brother  anglers 
should,  for  the  best  interests  of  their  pursuit,  dwell  to- 
gether in  unity  whether  they  be  tireless  advocates  of  the 
dry-fly,  or  contented  disciples  of  the  wet-fly.  But  I  have 
been  constrained,  however,  to  point  out  instances  of  what 
has  seemed  to  me  lamentable  lack  of  fairness  found  in 
the  writings  of  certain  dry-fly  enthusiasts.  Fortunately 
I  am  too  strong  a  believer  in  the  fair-mindedness  of  ang- 
lers as  a  body  to  suppose  that  dry-fly  men  considered  as 
a  whole  feel  as  bitterly  toward  that  great  majority  who 
employ  the  wet-fly  method  in  their  sport  as  those  dry- 
fly  writers  would  lead  the  casual  reader  to  infer. 

That  a  minority  of  less  than  five  per  cent,  should  en- 

viii 


PREFACE 

deavor  to  impose  their  views  on  the  ninety-five  per  cent., 
who  hold  other  opinions  speaks  better  for  their  zeal  than 
for  their  sense  of  proportion. 

But  I  think — and  many  good  sportsmen  all  over  the 
country  uphold  me — that  it  is  high  time  the  dry-fly  zealots 
calmed  down  and  remembered  that  we  of  the  wet-fly  are 
no  less  careful  than  they  that  the  etiquette  of  fly-fishing 
should  be  observed  in  the  strictest  possible  manner  and 
every  unsportsmanlike  manner  of  killing  game  fish  rep- 
robated. 

No  modern  writer  on  fly-fishing  for  trout  could  fail 
to  be  indebted  to  such  authors  as  Doctor  David  Starr 
Jordan,  Professor  Barton  Warren  Evermann,  James  A. 
Henshall,  M.D.,  Henry  P.  Wells,  William  C.  Harris  or 
Frederick  M.  Halford,  and  I  take  pleasure  in  acknowl- 
edging it  here.  Among  other  authorities  I  have  quoted 
I  might  mention  Mary  Orvis  Marbury,  Samuel  G. 
Camp,  George  A.  B.  Dewar  and  Emlyn  M.  Gill. 

Groton,  Massachusetts, 


IX 


To  the  Publishers  and  Authors  who  have  kindly 
granted  me  permission  to  quote  from  works  produced 
by  them  I  wish  to  express  here  my  appreciation  and 
thanks.  The  Publishers,  Authors  and  Works  are  as 
follows : 


Doubleday,  Page  &  Company, 
"American    Food    and    Game 
Fish,"  by  David  Starr  Jor- 
dan and  Barton  Warren  Ev- 
ermann. 

Field  &  Stream  Publishing  Co., 

Taken  from  Articles  in  issues 

of  "Field  and  Stream,"  "The 

Dry-Fly    in    America,"    by 

George  M.  L.  La  Branche; 


Outing  Publishing  Company, 
"Favorite  Fish  and  Fishing,"  by 
James   A.    Henshall,    M.D.; 
"The  Fine  Art  of  Fishing," 
by  Siamuel  G.  Camp. 

Henry  Holt  &  Company, 
"Fishes,"  by  David  Starr  Jor- 
dan. 

Harper  &  Brothers, 


"Caught  with  the  Dry-Fly,"      'Fly-Rods  and  Fly-Tackle,"  by 
by  Walter  McGuckin;  "Dry-  Henry  P.  Wells. 

Fly  Fishing  with  A.  W.  Di- 
mock,"  by  Emlyn  M.  Gill. 


E.  P.  Dutton  &  Company, 
"The    Dry-Fly    Man's    Hand- 
book," by  Frederick  M.  Hal- 
ford. 

Houghton,  Mifflin  Company, 

"Favorite     Flies,"     by     Mary 

Orvis  Marbury. 


The  Century  Company, 
"Sport  with  Gun  and  Rod,"  ar- 
ticle by  Edward  Seymour. 


Charles  Scribner's  Sons, 

"Practical    Dry-Fly    Fishing," 

by  Emlyn  M.  Gill. 


The  Macmillan  Company, 
"Salmon  and  Trout,"  from  part 
entitled     "The     Trouts     of 
America,"    by    William    C. 
Harris. 

Adam  &  Charles  Black, 

"The  Book  of  the  Dry-Fly,"  by 

George  A.  B.  Dewar. 


All  of  the  books  and  publications  mentioned  above 
deserve  a  place  in  every  fly-fishing  angler's  library. 


CONTENTS 


Preface 


CHAPTER 

I.    Trout  Found  in  American  Waters 
II.    The  Art  of  Fly-Fishing . 

III.  A  Comparison  of  the  Merits  of  the  Wet  and 

fly  Methods  of  Fly-Fishing 

IV.  The  Fly-Rod  and  Its  Function     . 

V.     For  the  Beginner  at  Fly-Fishing   . 

VI.    The  Rod,  The  Reel,  The  Line,  The  Leader 
The  Fly 

VIL  The  Habits  of  Trout     .... 

VIII.  The  Coloration  of  Trout 

IX.  The  Sight  and  Hearing  of  Trout . 

X.  A  Few  Words  About  Casting  the  Fly   . 

XL  How  to  Fish  the  Wet-Fly     . 

XII.  How  and  When  to  Strike  Trout    . 

XIII.  When  to  Fish  Dark  and  Light-Colored  Flies 

XIV.  The  "Expert"  Fly  Fisherman       . 
XV.  How  to  Make  Your  Own  Leaders . 

XVI.     Trout  Fly-Fishing  in  the  Rangeley  Region 
XVII.    Wet- Flies  Used  in  Various  States  . 
XVIII.     Dry-Flies  Used  in  England  and  America 

XIX.     List  of  Wet-Flies 

XX.     Miscellaneous  Matters  . 

Glossary 

Index    


Dry- 


and 


PAGE 

vii 

I 
40 

60 

7S 
88 

99 
123 

133 

157 
169 

179 
183 
190 

199 
206 

217 
225 
246 
251 
256 
275 
279 


XI 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


OPPOSITE  PAGE 
.  15 


1.  Outline  of  a  trout  showing  different  parts  . 

2.  Three  different  water  bottoms  .  .        .        .        . 

3.  Showing  how  a  rod  should  be  held  in  the  act  of  casting 

4.  Showing  how  a  rod  should  be  held  in  the  act  of  casting 

5.  Diagrams  showing  position  of  a  rod  when  making  the 

"forward"  and  "backward"  cast 

6.  Showing  how  to  disjoint  a  rod 

7.  Showing  how  to  disjoint  a  rod  with  four  hands 

8.  Plate  A.    Leader  Knots       .... 

9.  Plate  B.    Leader  Knots       .... 

10.  Plate  C.    Leader  Knots       .... 

11.  Plate  D.    Jam  Knot  and  Tiller  Hitch  Knot 

12.  Plate  E.    Jam  Knot  and  Turle  Knot 


155 
91 
95 

171 
225 

241 

211 

213 

217 

269 


XIU 


LIST  OF  COLORED  PLATES 

Opposite 
to  page 

1  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-fontinalis — (show- 

ing bright  or  early  Fall  coloration) I 

2  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Female) — Salvelinus-fontinalis 13 

3  The  Rangeley  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-oquassa 17 

4  The  Sunapee  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-aureolus 33 

5  The  Dolly  Varden  Trout  (Adult  Male)  Salvelinus-parkei 49 

6  The  Steelhead  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salmo-rivularis 65 

7  The  Rainbow  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salmo-irideus 81 

8  The  Red  Throat  Trout  (Adult  Male)— Salmo-clarkii 97 

9  The  Tahoe  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salmo-henshawi 113 

10  The  Golden  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salmo-gilberti 129 

11  The  Brown  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salmo-fario 161 

12  The  Great  Lake  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Christivomer-namaycush  177 

13  The  Golden  Trout  of  Soda  Creek,  California  (Adult  Male) — 

Salmo-gilberti-whitei 193 

14  The  Golden  Trout  of  Volcano  Creek,  California  (Adult  Male) — 

Salmo-gilberti-roosevelti 209 

15  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-fontinalis  (showing 

dark  or  early  Spring  coloration) 133 

16  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-fontinalis — (show- 

ing subdued  or  early  Summer  coloration) 139 

17  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-fontinalis — (show- 

ing bright  or  early  Fall  coloration) 145 

18  The  Brook  Trout  (Adult  Male) — Salvelinus-fontinalis — (show- 

ing brilliant  or  breeding  season  coloration) 153 

19  Popular  Wet  Flies 257 

20  Favorite  Dry  Flies . . . , 251 


XV 


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TROUT  FLY-FISHING  IN  AMERICA 

CHAPTER   I 
TROUT   FOUND    IN   AMERICAN   WATERS 

The  greatest  fly-fishing  trout  waters  in  the  world  are 
undoubtedly  found  in  North  America,  and  while  in  cer- 
tain sections  the  trout  streams  have  become  sadly  de- 
pleted, owing  to  changed  conditions  created  by  what  some 
writers  are  pleased  to  term  advancing  civilization,  there 
still  remain  many  well-stocked  fishable  waters  which  will 
afford  pleasure  for  years  to  come  for  all  followers  of  the 
gentle  art  of  angling. 

The  streams  of  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  New  York 
and  the  New  England  States,  with  the  exception  of  Maine, 
have  suffered  most  so  far  as  the  native  Brook  Trout  is  con- 
cerned. And  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the  changed 
conditions  are  such  in  most  of  the  depleted  trout  streams 
that  restocking  of  them,  except  with  the  Brown  Trout, 
amounts  to  little  and  in  the  large  majority  of  streams  to 
nothing  at  all. 

The  depletion  and,  in  many  cases,  the  complete  ex- 
termination of  the  Brook  Trout  are  really  due  to  a  number 
of  causes,  such  as  the  cutting  away  of  the  trees,  bushes 
and  foliage  along  the  banks  of  both  large  and  small 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

streams;  this,  in  turn,  has  reduced  the  flow  of  water,  mak- 
ing it  shallow  and  of  a  much  higher  temperature  than  for- 
merly ;  in  many  cases  these  streams  which  years  ago  were 
plentifully  supplied  with  clear,  pure  water  are  to-day  pol- 
luted to  such  an  extent  that  the  Brook  Trout  can  no  longer 
live  and  propagate  in  them. 

Conservation  of  our  natural  resources  and  the  protec- 
tion of  our  streams  from  pollution  came  too  late  in  many 
instances  to  prove  of  any  real  value  to  the  Brook  Trout 
and  the  disciples  of  Ike  Walton. 

While  our  governments,  both  National  and  State,  can- 
not restore  the  natural  conditions  that  existed  forty  years 
ago  on  and  in  the  streams  where  the  Brook  Trout  and  other 
species  were  plentiful,  they  can  make  wise  laws  which  will 
protect  for  the  future  generations,  if  rigidly  enforced,  the 
waters  that  have  not  as  yet  been  depleted  of  these  game  fish 
and  polluted  by  factories  along  their  banks ;  and  it  is  sin- 
cerely hoped  that  such  work  as  has  already  been  begun 
will  progress  with  dispatch  and  wisdom  and  be  continued 
with  energy  and  thoroughness. 

This  alone,  however,  will  not  suffice  without  the  aid 
of  the  anglers  themselves,  who  must  realize  that  in  order 
to  have  their  sport  continue  not  one  trout  should  be  killed 
unless  to  be  eaten,  or  for  some  scientific  purpose.  Per- 
sonally, I  should  like  to  see  the  various  States  having  trout 
waters  within  their  boundaries  enact  identically  the  same 
laws  as  to  the  number  of  trout  one  angler  could  legally 
kill  in  one  day  during  the  open  season. 

The  number  of  trout  caught  on  the  artificial  fly  which 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

an  angler  could  kill  in  any  one  day  should  not  exceed  ten, 
and  it  would  be  much  wiser  if  the  limit  were  placed  at  a 
lower  figure.  The  law,  however,  should  permit  the  fly- 
fishing angler  to  catch,  and  not  kill,  as  many  as  his  ability 
or  skill  permits. 

It  would  also  be  a  good  thing  if  all  fishable  trout  waters, 
except  small  brooks,  were  restricted  solely  to  fly-fishing 
with  the  artificial  fly. 

There  are  two  groups  of  game  fish  found  in  North 
America  which  have  been  indiscriminately  called 
TROUT;  they  both  belong  to  the  SALMONIDAE  (The 
Salmon  Family):  one  is  the  genus  Salvelinus  (The 
Charr),  the  other  the  genus  Salmo  (The  Trout). 

That  these  two  groups  have  been  called  TROUT  is 
largely,  if  not  entirely,  due  to  anglers  who,  in  years  gone 
by,  have  known  little  or  nothing  about  the  different  species 
and  sub-species,  as  their  time  was  given  up  almost  entirely 
to  catching,  not  studying,  the  fish. 

Undoubtedly,  the  name  TROUT  will  always  be  given 
alike  to  the  Charr  and  the  real  Trout  by  anglers  in  this 
country,  and  it  matters  little  whether  this  is  so  or  not;  but 
for  those  who  have  any  desire  to  know  the  facts  about  these 
game  fish  the  following  may  prove  of  some  interest. 

There  are  distributed  over  the  different  sections  of 
North  America  some  thirty-six  or  more  native  game  fish 
which  are  called  trout,  most  of  which  will  rise  more  or 
less  readily  to  the  artificial  fly. 

In  addition  to  these  there  has  been  imported  from 
Europe  two  other  trout,  one  is  a  species  and  the  other  a 

3 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

sub-species,  and  they  are  now  found  in  many  lakes  and 
streams  of  the  eastern  and  western  sections  of  the  United 
States. 

Writers  on  the  subject  of  trout,  in  many  instances,  do 
not  agree  as  to  whether  or  not  certain  forms  are  species  or 
simply  sub-species  and  it  is  not  strange  that  such  is  the 
case  when  so  many  different  features  have  to  be  taken  into 
consideration  in  order  to  arrive  at  a  proper  and  reason- 
ably correct  conclusion;  such  as  anatomy,  coloration, 
geographic  location,  environment,  isolation,  intergrad- 
ing,  etc. 

On  this  account  two  classifications  are  given,  one  by 
noted  Ichthyologists  and  the  other  by  the  Author,  but 
either  will  probably  give  to  most  angling  sportsmen  such 
information  as  they  desire. 

Of  the  many  forms  I  have  classed  ten  as  species;  four 
of  them  belong  to  the  genus  Salvelinus  (The  Charr) ,  and 
are  red-spotted  fish ;  six  of  them  belong  to  the  genus  Salmo 
(The  Trout),  and  are  black-spotted  fish. 

The  Brown  Trout  is  the  "brook-trout"  of  Europe,  and 
is  not  a  native  of  America ;  it  was  brought  here  from  Ger- 
many and  England.  It  has  been  extensively  used  for  a 
number  of  years  past  in  restocking  streams  and  lakes  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States  where  the  native 
Brook  Trout,  owing  to  changed  conditions,  has  become 
greatly  depleted  and,  in  some  cases,  nearly  exterminated. 

The  Brown  Trout  and  the  Brook  Trout  have  been 
transplanted  from  eastern  waters  to  western  waters,  and 
the  Rainbow  Trout  and  the  Steelhead  Trout  have  been 

4 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

transplanted  from  the  waters  of  the  west  to  the  waters  of 
the  east. 

The  Brown  Trout  and  the  Brook  Trout  have  thrived 
and  propagated  in  the  western  waters,  while  the  Rainbow 
Trout  and  the  Steelhead  Trout  have  not  done  so  in  the 
eastern  waters,  except  in  a  very  limited  degree. 

The  species  belonging  to  the  genus  Salvelinus  do  not 
break  water  when  hooked,  while  the  species  belonging  to 
the  genus  Salmo  almost  always  do  so. 

Although  the  Charr  is  a  red-spotted  fish  and  the  Trout 
a  black-spotted  one  (and  the  spots  form  a  distinguishing 
characteristic),  nevertheless  the  Brown  Trout  has  some 
few  small  red  spot  markings,  but  they  are  not  at  all  like 
the  red  spots  found  on  the  Charr. 

The  Charr  has  teeth  on  the  upper  and  lower  jawbones 
as  well  as  on  the  tongue,  while  the  Trout  has  teeth  only  on 
the  rim  of  the  tongue,  except  the  Red  Throat,  or  Cutthroat 
Trout  has  in  addition  "a  narrow  band  of  small  teeth  on  the 
hyoid  bone  at  the  base  of  the  tongue,"  and  these  differences 
also  are  distinguishing  characteristics. 

The  Ichthyologists'  Classification  of  Trout  Native  to 
the  Waters  of  North  America. 

THE  CHARR-TROUT  SALVELINUS 

Species:   The  Brook  Trout,  Salvelinus-fontinalis. 
Sub-species:    Dublin  Pond  Trout,  Salvelinus-fontinalis-agassizii. 
Species:   The  Rangeley  Trout,  Salvelinus-oquassa. 

5 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Sub-species:    Lac  de  Marbre  Trout,  Salvelinus-oquassa-marstoni. 
The  Naresi  Trout,  Salvelinus-oquassa-naresi. 

Species:    (Not  recognized),  Salvelinus-alpinus. 

Sub-species:    Long-finned  Trout,  Salvelinus-alpinus-alipes. 
Greenland  Trout,  Salvelinus-alpinus-stagnalis. 
The  Arctic  Trout,  Salvelinus-alpinus-arcturus. 
The  Sunapee  Trout,  Salvelinus-alpinus-aureolus. 

Species :    Dolly  Varden  Trout,  Salvelinus-parkei. 

Sub-species:    (None  recognized.) 


THE  CHARR-TROUT  CHRISTIVOMER 

Species:    The  Great  Lake  Trout,  Christivomer-namaycush. 

Sub-species:   The  Lake  Trout  of  Lake  Superior,  Christivomer- 
namaycush-siscowet. 


THE  TROUT,  SALMO 

Species :  The  Steelhead  Trout,  Salmo-^^  °     ,     .    * 
^  '  Lnvulans. 

Sub-species:  The  Kamloops  Trout,  Salmo-gairdneri-kamloops. 

Long-headed  Trout  of  Lake  Crescent,  Salmo-gaird- 
neri-bathoecetor. 

Blue-back  Trout  of  Lake  Crescent,  Salmo-gairdneri- 
beardsleei. 

Speckled  Trout  of  Lake  Crescent,  Salmo-gairdneri- 
crescentis. 

Species :  The  Rainbow  Trout,  Salmo-irideus. 

Sub-species :  The  Rainbow  Trout  of  West  Oregon,  Salmo-irideus- 
masoni. 

6 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  Rainbow  Trout  of  McCloud  River,  Salmo- 
irideus-shasta. 

Kern  River  Trout,  Salmo-irideus-gilberti. 

The  Nissuee,  No-shee  or  Stone's  Trout,  Salmo-iri- 
deus-stonei. 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Mount  Whitney,  Salmo-iri- 
deus-aquabonita. 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Soda  Creek,  Salmo-irideus- 
whitei. 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Volcano  Creek,  Salmo-irideus- 
roosevelti. 

Lower  California  Rainbow  Trout,  Salmo-irideus- 
nelsoni. 

Rio  Santa  Ana  Rainbow  Trout,  Salmo-irideus-ever- 
manni. 


Salmo-mykiss. 

Salmo-purpuratus. 

Salmo-clarkii. 


Species :  The  Red  Throat  Trout, 
The  Cutthroat  Trout, 
Rocky  Mountain  Trout, 
Black  Spotted  Trout, 

Sub-species:  The  Yellowstone  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-lewisi. 
Columbia  River  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-gibbsii. 
The  Utah  Lake  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-virginalis. 
The  Rio  Grande  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-spilurus. 
Colorado  River  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-pleuriticus. 
The  Waha  Lake  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-bouvieri. 
The  Green-back  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-stomias. 
The  Yellow-fin  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-macdonaldi. 
The   Salmon  Trout  of   Lake   Sutherland,    Salmo- 

clarkii-declivifrons. 
The   Spotted  Trout  of  Lake  Sutherland,   Salmo- 

clarkii-jordani. 
Lake  Tahoe  Trout,  Salmo-clarkii-henshawi. 
The  Silver  Trout  of  Lake  Tahoe,  Salmo-clarkii-ta- 

hoensis. 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

IMPORTED  SALMO  TROUT 

Species:  The  Brown  Trout,  Salmo-fario. 
Sub-species:  Loch  Leven  Trout,  Salmo-fario-levenensis. 
8  Species,  34  Sub-species.    Total,  42. 

The  Author's  Classification  of  the  Species  of  Trout 
Found  in  North  America,  Giving  the  Common  and  Scien- 
tific Names. 


SALMONIDAE  (The  Salmon  Family) 

Genus  Salvelinus 
(The  Charr) 


Species 

The  Brook  Trout, 
(i)     The  Square  Tail, 

The  Speckled  Beauty, 

The  Rangeley  Trout, 

(2)  The  Blue-back  Trout, 
The  Oquassa  Trout, 

The  Sunapee  Trout, 

(3)  American  Saibling, 
The  Golden  Trout, 

Dolly  Varden  Trout, 

(4)  The  Malma  Trout, 
The  Bull  Trout, 


fontinalis. 


-oquassa. 


1 


(alpinus)  aureolus. 


malma  parkei. 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Genus  Salmo 
(The  Trout) 

Species 
.X   [The  Steelhead  Trout,  Igairdneri. 
[The  Salmon  Trout,      J  rivularis. 

(6)  I  The  Rainbow  Trout,  irideus. 

(7)  {The  Golden  Trout,  gilberti. 


(8) 


The  Red  Throat  Trout,  " 
The  Cutthroat  Trout, 
Rocky  Mountain  Trout 
Black  Spotted  Trout, 


mykiss. 

purpuratus. 

clarkii. 


(9)  {The  Tahoe  Trout,  henshawi. 
(10)  -|  I'he  German  1  rout,     }-fario. 


The  Brown  Trout, 
The  German  Trout, 
The  Von  Behr  Trout, 


Genus  Christivomer 
(A  Charr) 

The  Great  Lake  Trout, 
'(11)     The  Mackinaw  Trout, 
The  Lunge,  The  Togue, 


namaycush. 


Genus  Salvelinus,  The  Charr 

Species:    THE   BROOK    TROUT,    Salvelinus-f ontinalis 
(Mitchill). 

Sub-species:  Dublin  Pond  Trout,!  .      .     ,.  .  ..  ,^ 

The  Gray  Trout,      Jfontinalis-agassizn  (Garman). 

Species:  THE  RANGE  LEY  TROUT,  Salvelinus-oquassa 
(Girard). 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Sub-species:  Lac  de  Marbre  Trout,  oquassa-marstoni  (Garman). 
The  Naresi  Trout,  oquassa-naresi  (Gunther). 

Species:    THE  SUNAPEE  TROUT,  Salvelinus-aureolus   (al- 
pinus)  (Bean). 

Sub-species:  The  Greenland  Trout,  alpinus-stagnalis  (Fabricius). 

The  Long- finned  Trout,  alpinus-alipes  (Richard- 
son). 

The  Floeberg  Trout,  or  American  Arctic  Trout,  al- 
pinus-arcturus  (Gunther). 

Species:  THE  DOLLY  FARDEN  TROUT, 

^  ,     -.         fmalma  (Walbaum). 
Salvelinus--^       i    •  /o     1 1     \ 
[parkei  (Suckley). 

Sub-species:    (None  recognized.) 


Genus  Christivomer,  a  Charr 

Species:  THE  GREAT  LAKE  TROUT,  Christivomer-namay- 
cush  (Walbaum). 

Sub-species :  The  Lake  Trout  of  Lake  Superior,  namaycush-sisco- 
wet  (Agassiz). 


Salmo,  the  Trout 

Species:  THE  STEELHEAD  TROUT, 

fgairdneri     (Richardson), 
[rivularis      (Ayres). 

Sub-species:  The  Kamloops  Trout  (Jordan). 

The  Crescent  Trout  or  1   .     .     .       r  (Jordan 
The  Speckled  Trout 
of  Lake  Crescent, 


crescentis 


and 
Beardslee) 


lO 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


The  Beardslee  Trout       1 

or     The     Blue-back    I  rivularis- 

Trout  of  Lake  Cres-    |beardsleei 

cent,  J 

The  Long-headed  Trout  of  Lake  Crescent,   rivu- 

laris-bathaecetor  (Meek). 


(Jordan 
and 
Seale). 


-irideus-stonei  (Jordan) 


Species:  THE  RAINBOW  TROUT,  Salmo-irideus  (Gibbons). 

Sub-species:  West  Oregon  Rainbow  Trout,  irideus-masoni  (Suck- 

ley). 
McCloud    River    Rainbow    Trout,    irideus-shasta 

(Jordan). 
The  No-shee  Trout, 

The  Nissuee  Trout, 
or  Stone's  Trout, 

Lower  California  Rainbow  Trout,  irideus-nelsoni. 
Rio  Santa  Ana  River  Rainbow  Trout,  irideus-ever- 

manni  (Grinnell). 

Species:  THE  GOLDEN  TROUT,  Salmo-gilberti  (Jordan). 

Sub-species:  The  Golden  Trout  of  South  Fork,  Kern  River,  or 
The  Golden  Trout  of  Mount  Whitney,  gilberti-aqua- 

bonita  (Jordan). 
The  Golden  Trout  of  Soda  Creek,  gilberti-whitei 
(Jordan). 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Volcano  Creek,  gilberti-roose- 
velti  (Evermann). 


Species:  THE  RED  THROAT  TROUT, 

Salmo 


mykiss  (Walbaum). 
purpuratus  (Pallas), 
clarkii  (Richardson). 


Sub-species:  Colorado  River  Trout,  clarkii-pleuriticus  (Cope). 
The  Rio  Grande  Trout,  clarkii-spilurus  (Cope). 


II 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


The  Utah  Lake  Trout  or  The  Great  Basin  of  Utah 

Trout,  clarkii-virginalis  (Girard). 
The  Green-back  Trout,  clarkii-stomias  (Cope). 
The  Yellow-fin  Trout,  clarkii-macdonaldi  (Jordan 

and  Evermann). 
The  Waha  Lake  Trout,  clarkii-bouvieri  (Bendire). 
The  Spotted  Trout  of  Lake  Sutherland,   clarkii- 

jordani  (Meek). 
The  Salmon  Trout  of   Lake   Sutherland,   clarkii- 

declivifrons  (Meek). 
The  Yellowstone  Trout,  clarkii-lewisi  (Girard). 
Columbia  River  Trout,  The  Silver  Trout,  clarkii- 

gibbsii  (Suckley). 

Species:  THE  TAHOE  TROUT,  Salmo-henshawi   (Gill  and 
Jordan). 

Sub-species :  The  Silver  Trout  of  Lake  Tahoe,  henshawi-tahoen- 
sis  (Jordan  and  Evermann). 

Imported  Trout,  not  natives  of  the  waters  of  North  America. 

Species:  THE  BROWN  TROUT,  Salmo-fario. 

Sub-species:  The  Loch  Leven  Trout,  English  Brown  Trout,  fario- 
levenensis. 


(I] 

1     Species: 

(2] 

Species: 

(3; 

Species: 

(4) 

1     Species : 

(5l 

Species : 

(6; 

Species : 

(7; 

1     Species : 

(8; 

1     Species : 

(9; 

1     Species: 

(1°: 

1     Species : 

(II 

1     Species : 

Species: 

Recapitulation 

The  Brook  Trout 
The  Rangeley  Trout 
The  Sunapee  Trout 
The  Dolly  Varden  Trout 
The  Steelhead  Trout 
The  Rainbow  Trout 
The  Golden  Trout 
The  Red  Throat  Trout 
The  Tahoe  Trout 
The  Brown  Trout 
The  Great  Lake  Trout 


II 


Sub-species:  i 
Sub-species :  2 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species: 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 
Sub-species : 

Sub-species:  J7 


3 
o 

4 

5 

3 
10 

I 

I 

I 


12 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  Tahoe  Trout,  here  called  a  species,  undoubtedly 
belongs  to  the  Cutthroat  series,  but  on  account  of  its 
marked  characteristics  has  been  separately  classified. 

The  Golden  Trout  belongs  to  the  Rainbow  series,  but 
it  also  has  been  separately  classified  because  of  its  marked 
and  peculiar  characteristics. 

The  Sunapee  Trout,  because  it  best  represents  the 
species  alpinus  of  all  charr-trout  found  in  this  country, 
is  classified  as  a  separate  species. 

A  marked  characteristic  of  the  SALMONIDAE 
family  is  the  presence  of  the  Adipose  Fin  and  some  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  Charr  and  Trout  are  as  follows : 

Body  somewhat  oblong  or  elongated. 

Body  covered  with  small  scales  having  a  circular  form  vary- 
ing in  size  with  the  different  species  and  sub-species. 

Those  having  the  largest  mouth  usually  having  the  largest  and 
strongest  teeth. 

The  Dorsal  Fin  is  of  moderate  length,  placed  about  midway  of 
the  body  on  the  back. 

The  Caudal  Fin  or  Tail  is  forked  in  most  species,  but  in  some 
it  is  truncated  or  square. 

The  Anal  Fin  is  moderately  long. 

The  Ventral  Fins  are  almost  median  in  position. 

The  Pectoral  Fins  are  inserted  quite  low  on  the  sides  near  the 
gill  cover. 

The  Lateral  Line  is  present  and  well  defined. 

The  Outline  of  the  belly  is  rounded  and  the  Vertebrae  are  in 
large  number,  generally  about  sixty. 

13 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Names  of  the  dij} event  fins: 

A 

Dorsal  Fin                                 (i) 

B 

Adipose  Fin                               (i) 

C 

Caudal  Fin                                  (i) 

D 

Pectoral  Fins                              (2) 

E 

Ventral  Fins                               (2) 

F 

Anal  Fin                                     (i) 

Names  of  different  parts  and  lines  of  trout: 

I 

Snout 

2 

Cheek-bone 

3 

Gill-cover 

4 

Nape  of  neck 

5 

Shoulder 

6 

Lateral  line 

7 

Base  of  tail 

8 

Ventral  line 

9 

Dorsal  line 

10 

Anus  opening 

THE   BROOK  TROUT 

Genus:  Salvelinus,   Species:  Fontinalis, 

The  Brook  Trout,  or,  as  called  by  many,  the  Speckled 
Beauty,  and  by  some  the  Square  Tail,  is  a  native  of  both 
large  and  small  streams  and  lakes  east  of  the  Mississippi 
and  the  Saskatchewan  rivers  and  north  of  the  Chattahoo- 
chee river.  It  is  found  in  all  suitable  waters  of  this  section 
as  far  north  as  Labrador  and  Hudson  Bay,  but  the  ex- 
treme northern  limit  is  not  as  yet  fully  determined. 

It  varies  greatly  in  size,  ranging  in  length  from  four 
inches  in  small  streams  to  thirty  inches  in  lakes  and  large 

H 


< 


o 
o 

H 
P 
O 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

streams,  and  from  half  an  ounce  to  twelve  pounds  in 
weight. 

"The  largest  specimens  are  recorded  from  the  sea  along  the 
Canadian  coast.  These  frequently  reach  a  weight  of  ten  pounds, 
and  from  their  marine  and  migratory  habits,  they  have  been  re- 
garded as  forming  a  distinct  variety  (Salvelinus-fontinalis-im- 
maculatus),  but  this  form  is  merely  a  sea-run  brook  trout." 

Although  the  trout  found  in  southern  streams  do  not 
grow  as  large  as  those  found  in  the  more  northern  ones, 
it  can  be  truthfully  said  that  large  streams  produce  large 
trout  and  small  streams  produce  small  trout. 

The  Brook  Trout  is  a  very  game  fish;  everything  con- 
sidered, it  is  more  so  than  any  other  species;  it  does  not 
break  water  when  hooked,  however,  and  on  that  account 
it  is  not  considered  by  some  anglers  as  game  as  the  Steel- 
head,  which  breaks  water  repeatedly,  as  do  most  salmo 
trout. 

Although  rising  readily  to  the  artificial  fly  under  fa- 
vorable conditions,  nevertheless  it  is  an  extremely  wary- 
fish,  and  usually  considerable  skill  is  required  to  cap- 
ture it. 

These  trout  grow  rapidly  in  some  waters,  such  as  the 
lakes  and  streams  of  Maine  and  Canada,  and  in  the  waters 
of  the  Rangeley  Region  they  have  been  known  to  attain 
a  weight  of  three  to  four  pounds  in  as  many  years,  while 
in  the  usual  small  brooks  and  streams  they  seldom  grow 
to  a  pound  weight  in  a  like  number  of  years. 

On  the  other  hand,  trout  in  fair-sized  streams  grow 

15 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

to  two  and  even  three  pounds,  but  rarely  if  ever  before 
they  are  six  or  seven  years  old. 

They  spawn  in  the  fall  from  early  September  to  late 
November,  depending  largely  upon  the  locality  and  the 
temperature  of  the  water. 

In  Maine  the  spawning  season  begins  early  in  Octo- 
ber. Brook  Trout  begin  to  produce  at  about  the  average 
age  of  two  years,  and  one  trout  deposits  from  three  to  five 
hundred  eggs. 

Of  all  the  many  species  of  trout,  Salvelinus  or  Salmo, 
the  Brook  Trout,  fontinalis,  is  by  far  "the  most  beautiful 
fish  that  swims." 

Sub-species  of  Salvelinus- fontinalis. 

The  Gray  Trout  or  The  Dublin  Pond  Trout 
(Salvelinus-fontinalis-agassizii). 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  Dublin  Pond,  Cheshire 
County,  New  Hampshire,  and  it  is  also  found  in  Lake 
Monadnock  and  Center  Pond  of  the  same  state. 

It  has  a  gray,  slaty  or  leadeny  color  on  account  of 
which  it  was  given  the  name  of  Gray  Trout.  This  trout 
is  without  many  red  spot  markings,  and  frequently  they 
have  no  red  spots  at  all. 

It  is  a  small,  but  game,  fish;  the  largest  specimens 
reaching  a  length  of  lo  to  12  inches. 

They  will  at  times  rise  to  the  fly  and  fight  well  when 
hooked,  but  at  no  time  can  the  Gray  Trout  be  called  other 
than  a  doubtful  riser. 


16 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE   RANGELEY  TROUT 

Genus:  Salvelinus.    Species:  Oquassa, 

The  Rangeley  Trout,  so  named  because  it  is  only 
found  in  the  waters  of  the  Rangeley  Lakes,  is  a  most  beau- 
tiful small  trout.  By  the  natives  it  is  called  the  "Blue- 
back"  on  account  of  the  peculiar  coloring  on  its  back. 

Years  ago  the  "Blue-back"  existed  in  countless  num- 
bers; they  came  to  the  streams  in  the  fall  to  spawn,  at 
which  time  they  have  been  known  to  rise  to  the  fly,  but 
never  at  any  other  time  or  place. 

To-day  this  trout  is  seldom  seen ;  indeed,  it  is  now  sev- 
eral years  since  it  has  been  possible  to  obtain  a  specimen. 
What  it  is  that  has  caused  a  change  in  the  habits  of  this 
fish,  or  has  possibly  exterminated  it,  no  one  seems  to  know, 
but  the  feeling  among  the  older  guides  of  this  region,  who 
remember  this  trout  well,  is  that  the  species  has  not  be- 
come extinct,  and  that  they  are  liable  to  appear  again  at 
any  spawning  season. 

About  1883  The  Century  Company  published  a  book 
entitled  "Sport  with  Gun  and  Rod,"  in  which  there  was 
a  chapter  on  "Trout-fishing  in  the  Rangeley  Lakes"  by 
Edward  Seymour,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  what  he 
has  to  say  about  the  "blue-back"  trout. 

Speaking  of  fish  found  in  the  Rangeley  Lakes,  other 
than  the  Salmon  and  Brook  Trout,  Mr.  Seymour  says: 

"There  is  still  a  fourth  variety,  called  by  the  natives  the  'blue- 
back'  trout,  the  Salmo  Oquassa  (so  named  because  it  is  peculiar 

17 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

to  these  waters),  which  is  also  generally  supposed  to  furnish  food 
to  the  monarchs  of  the  lake. 

"They  come  in  an  immense  army,  actually  filling  the  streams 
here  and  there  with  a  dense,  struggling  mass,  which  the  natives 
capture  by  the  bushel  and  by  the  barrel  in  nets,  buckets  and  pails ; 
even  scooping  them  out  by  hand  and  throwing  them  on  the  bank. 
They  are  salted  down  and  preserved  in  the  same  way  as  mackerel 
are  cured. 

"These  blue-back  trout  have  never  been  found  more  than  nine 
inches  in  length,  nor  less  than  six  inches. 

"In  flavor,  they  are  quite  as  rich  and  delicate  when  cooked  as 
the  brook-trout. 

"After  spawning,  they  return  to  the  lake  just  as  suddenly  as 
they  appeared,  and,  notwithstanding  the  number  in  which  they  are 
captured  during  their  brief  stay  in  the  stream,  they  do  not  diminish 
in  multitude  year  after  year. 

"It  is  inferred  that  their  regular  haunts  must  be  in  the  deepest 
waters  of  the  lake,  since  their  capture  by  the  enticements  and  ap- 
pliances which  prove  irresistible  to  the  speckled  trout  is  almost  un- 
known." 

Sub-species  of  Salvelinus-oquassa 

The  Lac  de  Marbre  Trout 

(The  Marston  Trout) 

(Salvelinus-oquassa-marstoni) 

The  Lac  de  Marbre  Trout  receives  its  name  from  the 
water  in  which  it  was  first  discovered ;  the  lake  is  located 
in  Ottawa  County,  Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  and  it 
is  near  Ottawa. 

This  trout  is  also  found  in  the  Lake  St.  John  district, 
Lac  a  Cassette  in  Rimousky  County,  Lake  Saccacomi  and 
the  Red  lakes  in  Maskinonge  County,  Quebec. 

These  beautiful  trout  are  probably  identical  with  what 
is  commonly  called  the  Canadian  Red  Trout  that  are 

i8 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

found  in  many  of  the  suitable  waters  to  the  north  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  river. 

The  Lac  de  Marbre  Trout  will  take  the  artificial  fly 
readily,  and  are  good  fighters,  but  as  is  the  case  with  all 
species  of  trout  their  game  qualities  vary  greatly  with 
their  environment. 

The  Naresi  Trout 
(Salvelinus-oquassa-naresi) 

This  trout  is  found  in  the  lakes  of  Arctic  America, 
and  does  not  differ  much  from  the  Rangeley  Trout.  It 
is  a  handsome  trout,  and  grows  to  about  twelve  to  four- 
teen inches  in  length.  Little  or  nothing  is  known  about 
its  habits. 

THE   SUNAPEE   TROUT 

Genus:  Salvelinus,    Species:  Alpinus, 

The  Sunapee  Trout  was  originally  found  in  Sunapee 
Lake,  which  is  situated  part  in  Sullivan  and  part  in  Merri- 
mack County,  New  Hampshire,  and  from  the  lake  it  re- 
ceived its  name.  This  trout  is  also  a  native  of  Flood  Pond, 
which  is  located  near  Ellsworth,  Maine.  Other  than  in 
these  two  places  it  is  not  found  as  a  native,  but  it  has  of 
late  been  planted  and  introduced  into  several  of  the  lakes 
in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

It  is  a  very  handsome  fish,  being  beautifully  marked 
and  colored.    It  grows  to  a  large  size,  often  to  ten  pounds, 

19 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

and  some  have  been  taken  that  weighed  over  fifteen 
pounds. 

The  Sunapee  Trout  has  never  been  known  to  rise  to 
the  natural  or  artificial  fly  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  find 
out  from  guides  and  anglers. 

It  is  only  caught  by  bait  fishing  in  deep  cold  water  dur- 
ing the  summer  or  by  trolling  with  smelt  along  the  shores 
and  sand  bars  early  in  the  season. 

The  scientific  name  for  the  Sunapee  Trout  is  aureolus 
(Bean),  although  it  probably  best  represents  in  this  coun- 
try the  species  Alpinus. 

Sub-species  of  Salvelinus-alpinus  (aureolus) 

The  Greenland  Trout 
(Salvelinus-alpinus-stagnalis) 

This  trout  is  found  in  the  waters  of  Greenland,  Boothia 
Felix  and  the  surrounding  regions  of  the  far  north.  It  is 
the  food-fish  of  the  natives  and  grows  to  a  good  size,  rang- 
ing from  one  to  two  feet  in  length  for  adults. 

The  Long-finned  Trout 
(Salvelinus-alpinU'S-alipes) 

Like  the  Greenland  Trout  the  Long-finned  Trout  is 
found  in  the  lakes  of  Greenland  and  the  waters  of  Boothia 
Felix  in  and  about  Prince  Regent  inlet. 

The  Floeberg  Trout 
(Sahelinus-alpinus-arcturus) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  extreme  northern  part  of 
North  America  and  is  found  in  Victoria  Lake,  Floeberg 
Beach,  from  which  specimens  have  been  obtained. 

20 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE  MALMA  TROUT  OR  THE  DOLLY 
VARDEN   TROUT 

Genus:  Sahelinus.    Species :| p^  l  • 

The  Malma  or  Dolly  Varden  Trout  is  a  native  of  the 
waters  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains;  it  is  found  in 
streams  of  northern  California,  in  Oregon,  Washington, 
British  Columbia  and  Alaska,  and  is  also  found  in  Lake 
Fend  d'Oreille,  Idaho. 

"It  abounds  in  the  sea  in  the  northward,  and  specimens  of  ten 
to  twelve  pounds  weight  are  not  uncommon  in  Puget  Sound  and 
especially  Alaska." 

"The  Dolly  Varden  trout  is,  in  general,  slenderer  and  less  com- 
pressed than  the  Eastern  brook  trout." 

It  is  a  red-spotted  trout,  the  spots  being  on  both  the 
back  and  sides ;  the  back  and  dorsal  fin  have  no  variegated 
markings  or  blotches,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Brook  Trout. 

In  other  respects,  the  Malma  Trout  more  closely  re- 
sembles the  Brook  Trout  than  any  other  species,  as  it  has 
the  same  characteristics  of  size,  form,  color,  beauty,  habits 
and  gaminess,  and  rises  to  the  fly. 

There  are  no  sub-species  of  The  Malma  Trout. 


21 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE   STEELHEAD   TROUT 

Genus:  Salmo,    Species:   Rivularis, 

The  Steelhead  Trout  is  a  native  of  the  streams  of  Cali- 
fornia, Oregon  and  Washington;  it  "is  found  in  the  coast- 
wise streams  of  California  and  in  the  streams  of  Oregon 
and  Washington,  below  the  great  Shoshone  Falls  of  Snake 
River,  and  northward  in  Alaska  along  the  mainland  as 
far  as  Skaguay.  The  steelhead  trout  reach  a  large  size 
(lo  to  20  pounds).  They  spend  a  large  part  of  their  life 
in  the  sea.  In  all  the  true  steelheads  the  head  is  relatively 
very  short,  its  length  being  contained  about  five  times  in 
the  distance  from  tip  of  snout  to  base  of  caudal  fin.  The 
scales  in  the  steelhead  are  always  small,  about  150  in  a 
linear  series,  and  there  is  no  red  under  the  throat.  The 
spots  on  the  dorsal  fin  are  fewer  in  the  steelhead  (4  to  6 
rows)  than  in  the  other  American  trout." 

Some  anglers  consider  the  Steelhead  the  most  gamy  of 
all  trout,  but  this  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  it  breaks 
water  repeatedly  when  hooked.  It  rises  eagerly  to  the 
artificial  fly,  strikes  boldly,  and  is  a  good  fighter. 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-rivularis 

The  Kamloops  Trout 
( Salmo-rivularis-kamloops) 

David  Starr  Jordan  and  Barton  Warren  Evermann, 
in  their  book,  entitled  "American  Food  and  Game  Fishes," 
published  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Company,  say : 

22 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"This  is  an  interesting  trout  found  in  Kamloops,  Okanogan, 
Kootenai  and  other  lakes  tributary  to  the  Eraser  and  upper  Colum- 
bia rivers.  It  is  locally  abundant,  and  is  a  fine  large  trout,  slender 
in  form,  graceful  in  appearance  and  movement,  somewhat  differ- 
ent from  the  common  steelhead,  but  not  distinguished  by  any  tech- 
nical character  of  importance,  and  probably  intergrading  fully 
with  the  latter.  It  is  said  to  be  a  very  fine  game  fish,  which  is  taken 
chiefly  by  trolling  with  a  spoon. 

"Color,  dark  olive  above,  bright  silvery  below,  the  silvery  color 
extending  some  distance  below  the  lateral  line,  where  it  ends 
abruptly;  middle  of  side  with  a  broad  light- rose  colored  band, 
covering  about  one-third  total  depth  of  fish ;  back  above  with  small 
black  spots  about  the  size  of  pin  heads,  irregularly  scattered,  and 
somewhat  more  numerous  posteriorly;  a  few  faint  spots  on  top  of 
head;  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  rather  thickly  covered  with  small 
black  spots  similar  to  those  on  back,  but  more  distinct;  a  few 
spots  on  adipose  fin  which  is  edged  with  blackish ;  lower  fins  plain ; 
upper  border  of  pectoral  dusky;  a  vague  dusky  blotch  on  upper 
middle  rays  of  anal." 

The  Crescent  Trout  or 

The  Spotted  Trout 

( Salmo-rivularis-crescentis) 

The  Blueback  Trout  or 

The  Beardslee  Trout 

( Salmo-rivularis-beardsleei) 

These  two  trout  were  discovered  by  Admiral  L.  A. 
Beardslee,  and  they  are  of  unusual  beauty  and  attract- 
iveness. They  will  not  rise  to  the  artificial  fly,  for  they 
are  not  surface  feeders. 

The  Beardslee  Trout  grows  to  a  large  size,  ranging 
from  six  to  twelve  pounds,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
catch  specimens  that  weigh  ten  pounds. 

23 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  Long  Headed  Trout 
( Salmo-rivularis-bathaecetor ) 

This  trout  can  be  caught  only  with  bait  on  set  lines, 
for  it  also  lives  in  deep  water  and  never  comes  to  the 
surface  to  feed. 

All  of  these  sub-species  of  steelhead  are  found  only 
in  Lake  Crescent,  Callam  County,  Washington,  which  is 
located  in  the  extreme  northwestern  part  of  the  State. 


THE   RAINBOW  TROUT 

Genus:  Salmo.    Species:  Irtdeus. 

The  Rainbow  Trout  is  a  native  of  the  streams  of  Cali- 
fornia and  Oregon  where  it  is  to  be  found  in  abundance 
in  every  suitable  clear  brook  and  stream. 

The  scales  are  large,  there  being  about  135  in  a  length- 
wise series.  The  head  also  is  large,  being  about  one- 
fourth  the  length  of  the  body  to  the  base  of  the  tail  or 
caudal  fin.  The  mouth  is  smaller  than  in  other  species 
of  trout,  and  the  tail  in  young  rainbows  is  well  forked, 
but  they  become  more  truncated  as  they  grow  older.  This 
species  generally  has  no  red  under  the  throat,  and  the 
rim  of  the  tongue  only  has  teeth.  The  size  of  the  head  is 
undoubtedly  the  best  distinctive  character. 

The  Rainbow  Trout  varies  greatly  in  size,  ranging 
from  six  inches  in  length,  as  found  in  Lower  California, 
to  six  pounds  in  weight  as  found  in  Northern  California. 

24 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

David  Starr  Jordan  says  of  this  trout: 

"The  head,  back,  and  upper  fins  are  sprinkled  with  round 
black  spots,  which  are  variable  in  number,  those  on  the  dorsal  usu- 
ally in  about  nine  rows. 

"The  color,  as  in  all  the  other  species,  is  bluish,  the  sides  sil- 
very in  the  males,  with  a  red  lateral  band,  and  reddish  and  dusky 
blotches. 

"In  specimens  taken  in  the  sea  this  species,  like  most  other 
trout  in  similar  conditions,  is  bright  silvery  and  sometimes  im- 
maculate.  • 

"Although  not  usually  an  anadromous  species,  the  rainbow 
trout  frequently  move  about  in  the  rivers,  and  it  often  enters  the 
sea,  large  sea-run  specimens  being  often  taken  for  steelheads. 

"No  true  rainbow  trout  have  been  anywhere  obtained  to  the 
eastward  of  the  Cascade  Range  or  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  except 
as  artificially  planted  in  the  Truckee  River. 

"Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  introduce  it  in  Eastern 
streams,  but  it  appears  to  seek  the  sea  when  it  is  lost. 

"It  is  apparently  more  hardy  and  less  greedy  than  the  Ameri- 
can Charr,  or  brook  trout  (Salvelinus  fontinalis).  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  distinctly  inferior  to  the  latter  in  beauty  and  gaminess." 

Professor  Evermann  says: 

"The  Rainbow  takes  the  fly  so  readily  that  there  is  no  reason 
for  resorting  to  grasshoppers,  salmon  eggs  or  other  bait. 

"It  is  a  fish  whose  gaminess  will  satisfy  the  most  exacting  of 
expert  anglers,  and  whose  readiness  to  take  any  proper  line  will 
please  the  most  impatient  of  inexperienced  amateurs." 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-irideus 

West  Oregon  Rainbow  Trout 
(Salmo-irideus-masoni) 

This  is  a  small  rainbow  trout ;  it  is  a  native  of  the  forest 
streams  of  the  western  part  of  Oregon,  on  account  of 
which  it  gets  its  name. 

25 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

McCloud  River  Rainbow  Trout 
( Salmo-irideus-shasta) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  McCloud  River,  which  is 
located  in  Shasta  County,  California,  in  the  central  north- 
ern part  of  the  State. 

The  No-shee  Trout 

The  Nissuee  Trout 

or  Stone's  Trout 

(Salmo-irideus-stoneri) 

'This  is  a  large  voracious  trout  of  the  rainbow  series  found  in 
the  upper  Sacramento  basin,  especially  in  the  McCloud  River 
above  Baird.  It  is  much  larger  than  typical  irideus,  and  reaches 
a  weight  of  lo  to  12  pounds,  but  is  doubtfully  distinct. 

"Color,  upper  parts  plain  greenish;  spots  few  and  confined 
chiefly  to  the  posterior  part  of  body;  spots  small  and  sparse  on  dor- 
sal, adipose  and  caudal  fins;  a  red  lateral  band  usually  distinct; 
cheek  and  opercles  with  red ;  no  red  on  throat." 

Lower  California  Trout 
( Salmo-irideus-nelsoni ) 

This  is  an  extremely  small  trout,  and  has  been  called 
the  "pigmy  trout."  It  is  found  in  the  small  streams  which 
rise  and  flow  from  San  Pedro  Martyr  Mountain,  Cali- 
fornia. 

Rio  Santa  Ana  River  Trout 
(Salmo-irideus-evermanni) 

Here  we  have  another  small  rainbow  trout  which  is 
found  in  the  streams  of  San  Gorgonia  mountains,  Cali- 
fornia. 

26 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE  RED  THROAT  TROUT  OR  THE 
CUTTHROAT  TROUT 

Genus:  Salmo,     Species:  Clarkii. 

The  Red  Throat  or  Cutthroat  Trout,  of  which  there 
are  at  least  ten  sub-species,  is  a  native  of  the  waters  on 
both  sides  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

In  speaking  of  this  species  of  trout  I  cannot  do  better 
than  quote  what  David  Starr  Jordan  has  to  say  about  it 
in  his  book  entitled  "Fishes": 

"This  species  has  much  smaller  scales  than  the  rainbow  or 
steelhead,  the  usual  number  in  a  longitudinal  series  being  i6o  to 
170.  Its  head  is  longer  (about  four  times  in  length  to  base  of 
caudal).  Its  mouth  is  proportionately  larger,  and  there  is  always 
a  narrow  band  of  small  teeth  on  the  hyoid  bone  at  the  base  of  the 
tongue.  These  teeth  are  always  wanting  in  Salmo  irideus  and 
rivularis  in  which  species  the  rim  of  the  tongue  only  has  teeth. 
The  color  in  Salmo  clarkii  is,  as  in  other  species,  exceedingly  varia- 
ble. In  life  there  is  always  a  deep-red  blotch  on  the  throat,  be- 
tween the  branches  of  the  lower  jaw  and  the  membrane  connecting 
them.  This  is  not  found  in  other  species,  or  is  reduced  to  a  nar- 
row strip  or  pinkish  shade.  It  seems  to  be  constant  in  all  varieties 
of  Salmo  clarkii,  at  all  ages,  thus  furnishing  a  good  distinctive 
character.  It  is  the  sign  manual  of  the  Sioux  Indians,  and  the 
anglers  have  already  accepted  from  this  mark  the  name  of  cut- 
throat trout. 

The  cutthroat  trout  of  some  species  is  found  in  every  suitable 
river  and  lake  in  the  great  basin  of  Utah,  in  the  streams  of  Colo- 
rado, Wyoming,  and  Montana,  on  both  sides  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. It  is  also  found  throughout  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho, 
British  Columbia,  the  coastwise  islands  of  southeastern  Alaska 
(Baranof,  etc.),  to  Kadiak  and  Bristol  Bay,  probably  no  stream 

27 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

or  lake  suitable  for  trout  life  being  without  it.  In  California  the 
species  seems  to  be  comparatively  rare,  and  its  range  rarely  ex- 
tending south  of  Cape  Mendocino.  Large  sea-run  individuals 
analogous  to  the  steelheads  are  sometimes  found  in  the  mouth  of 
the  Sacramento.  In  Washington  and  Alaska  this  species  regularly 
enters  the  sea.  In  Puget  Sound  it  is  a  common  fish.  These  sea- 
run  individuals  are  more  silvery  and  less  spotted  than  those  found 
in  the  mountain  streams  and  lakes.  The  size  of  Salmo  clarkii  is 
subject  to  much  variation.  Ordinarily  four  to  six  pounds  is  a  large 
size,  but  in  certain  favored  waters,  as  Lake  Tahoe  and  the  fjords 
of  southeastern  Alaska,  specimens  from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds 
are  occasionally  taken. 

Those  species  or  individuals  dwelling  in  lakes  of  considerable 
size,  where  the  water  is  of  such  temperature  and  depth  as  insures 
an  ample  food  supply,  will  reach  a  large  size,  while  those  in  re- 
stricted environment,  where  both  the  water  and  food  are  limited, 
will  be  small  directly  in  proportion  to  these  environing  restrictions. 
The  trout  of  the  Klamath  Lakes,  for  example,  reach  a  weight  of  at 
least  17  pounds,  while  in  Fish  Lake  in  Idaho  mature  trout  do  not 
exceed  8  to  9^  inches  in  total  length  or  one-fourth  pound  in 
weight.  In  small  creeks  in  the  Sawtooth  Mountains  and  elsewhere 
they  reach  maturity  at  a  length  of  5  or  6  inches,  and  are  often 
spoken  of  as  brook  trout,  and  with  the  impression  that  they  are  a 
species  different  from  the  larger  ones  found  in  the  lakes  and 
larger  streams.  But  as  all  sorts  and  gradations  between  these  ex- 
treme forms  may  be  found  in  the  intervening  and  connecting  waters, 
the  differences  are  not  even  of  sub-specific  significance." 

As  it  should  be  of  great  interest  to  the  angler  what 
Doctor  Evermann  has  to  say  about  the  game  qualities  of 
the  SalmO'clarkii,  I  give  it  here; 

"The  various  forms  of  cutthroat  trout  vary  greatly  in  game 
qualities ;  even  the  same  sub-species  in  different  waters,  in  different 
parts  of  its  habitat,  or  at  different  seasons,  will  vary  greatly  in  this 
regard.  In  general,  however,  it  is  perhaps  a  fair  statement  to  say 
that  the  cutthroat  trout  are  regarded  by  anglers  as  being  inferior 

28 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

in  gaminess  to  the  Eastern  brook  trout.  But  while  this  is  true,  it 
must  not  by  any  means  be  inferred  that  it  is  without  game  qualities, 
for  it  is  really  a  fish  which  possesses  those  qualities  in  a  very  high 
degree.  Its  vigor  and  voraciousness  are  determined  largely,  of 
course,  by  the  character  of  the  stream  or  lake  in  which  it  lives. 
The  individuals  which  dwell  in  cold  streams  about  cascades  and 
seething  rapids  will  show  marvelous  strength  and  will  make  a 
fight  which  is  rarely  equaled  by  its  Eastern  cousin;  while  in 
warmer  and  larger  streams  and  lakes  they  may  be  very  sluggish 
and  show  but  little  fight.  Yet  this  is  by  no  means  always  true.  In 
Klamath  Lakes,  where  the  trout  grow  very  large  and  where  they 
are  often  very  logy,  one  is  occasionally  hooked  which  tries  to  the 
utmost  the  skill  of  the  angler  to  prevent  his  tackle  from  being 
smashed  and  at  the  same  time  save  the  fish." 

The  oldest  scientific  name  for  the  Red  Throat  or  Cut- 
throat Trout  is  Salmo-mykiss.  It  was  given  to  this  trout 
by  Walbaum  in  1792.  Later  it  was  called  Salmo-Pur- 
puratus  by  Pallas  in  181 1,  and  in  1836  Richardson 
gave  the  species  found  in  North  America  the  name  of 
Salmo-clarkiiy  by  which  name  it  is  now  generally  called. 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-clarkii 

The  Colorado  River  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-pleuriticus  (Cope) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  waters  of  the  Colorado 
Basin.  It  is  both  large  and  handsome,  having  very  small 
scales,  and  in  western  Colorado  is  extensively  sought  after 
by  anglers.  This  trout  abounds  in  all  suitable  waters 
throughout  the  Colorado  Basin. 

It  is  "variable  in  color,  size  and  form  with  its  surroundings, 
and  in  most  respects  substantially  identical  with  lewisi,  the  chief 

29 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

difference  being  that  in  this  form,  as  in  spilurus,  stomias,  and 
macdonaldi,  the  black  spots  are  usually  much  more  numerous  on 
the  posterior  part  of  the  body,  while  the  head  is  usually  free  from 
spots.    This  is,  however,  not  universally  true. 

"In  variety  pleuriticus  there  is  almost  always  a  very  distinct 
red  lateral  band,  and  the  lower  fins  are  more  or  less  red." 

The  Rio  Grande  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-spilurus    (Cope) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  Rio  Grande  River  and 
the  mountain  streams  of  the  Great  Basin  of  Utah,  and  is 
found  "as  far  south  as  the  northern  part  of  Chihuahua/' 
While  this  trout  has  a  number  of  black  spots  they  are 
largely  confined  to  the  region  of  the  tail. 

"This  form  is  apparently  wholly  identical  with  variety  pleu- 
riticus, except  that  in  specimens  examined  the  scales  are  less 
crowded  forward,  so  that  the  number  in  a  lengthwise  series  is  less. 
I  count  155  to  160  in  Rio  Grande  specimens;  185  to  190  in  those 
from  Colorado.  From  the  trout  of  the  Great  Basin  {virginalis)  ^ 
spilurus  differs  chiefly  in  the  arrangement  of  its  spots." 

The  Great  Basin  of  Utah  Trout  or 

The  Utah  Lake  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-virginalis  (Girard) 

This  trout  derives  its  name  from  the  fact  that  it  is  a 
native  of  Utah  Lake,  Utah  County,  Utah,  and  the  streams 
and  v^aters  of  the  Great  Basin  of  Utah. 

"The  trout  of  the  Great  Basin  are  profusely  and  not  very 
coarsely  spotted,  the  spots  being  numerous  anteriorly  as  well  as 
posteriorly,  confined  to  the  back  rather  than  the  tail." 

"In  several  examined,  the  scales  are  a  little  larger  than  in  any 
of  the  other  forms,  140  to  150  in  a  lengthwise  series,  the  scales  on 

30 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  anterior  part  of  the  body  being  less  crowded  than  in  spilurus 
and  siomias.  In  other  respects  virginalis  scarcely  differs  from 
clarkii. 

"The  large  fishes  from  Utah  Lake  are  very  pale  in  color,  the 
dark  spots  few  and  small,  much  as  in  variety  macdonaldi,  but 
fewer,  and  more  on  the  back.  This  pale  coloration  is  characteristic 
of  lake  and  sea  trout  in  general.  It  is  doubtless  partly  due  to  the 
alkaline  character  of  the  waters  of  Utah  Lake." 

The  Green-back  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-sfomias  (Cope) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  Arkansas  and  Platte  Rivers  and 
"is  especially  fine  in  St.  Vrain's  River  and  the  streams  of  Estes 
Park."  It  is  a  small  trout  having  a  green  back  or  greenish-brown 
back  with  large  black  spots  and  a  red  throat  patch.  It  also  has 
small  scales  and  "it  closely  approaches  lewisi  and  spilurus.  The 
black  spots  are  always  larger  than  in  any  of  these,  and  mostly 
gathered  on  the  tail." 

"The  green-back  trout  seldom  exceeds  three-fourths  of  a  pound 
in  weight.  It  is  very  abundant  in  the  streams  of  the  Upper  Ar- 
kansas as  well  as  in  the  Twin  Lakes.  It  spawns  in  spring,  in  snow- 
water if  possible,  and  it  will  leave  spring-water  to  find  snow- 
water. In  winter,  however,  they  seek  for  warmer  waters.  It  is 
said  that  when  the  winter  breaks  up  the  trout  are  too  blind  to  see 
bait. 

"In  color  the  green-back  is  green,  or  even  almost  black  on  the 
back.  The  lower  fins  and  the  throat  are  bright  red,  but  there 
is  not  much  trace  of  the  red  lateral  band.  The  black  spots  are  large 
and  mostly  confined  to  the  posterior  part  of  the  body.  In  some 
cases  these  spots  are  ocellated  with  paler. 

"At  the  spawning  time,  in  May  and  early  June,  the  males  have 
much  red,  but  later  the  sexes  become  similar.  In  specimens  found 
about  pools,  there  is  often  much  red  even  in  summer.  Those  from 
deeper  parts  of  the  lake  are  always  bright  green,  with  a  little  red. 

"The  flesh  in  these  trout  is  extremely  red,  this  color  being 
probably  heightened  by  the  character  of  its  food.    In  the  specimens 

31 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

from  Arkansas  River  the  body  is  plumper  and  softer  than  those 
from  Twin  Lakes." 


The  Yellow-fin  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-macdonaldi  (Jordan  and  Evermann) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  Twin  Lakes,  Colorado.  It 
is  a  large  and  handsome  species,  having  lower  fins  of 
golden  yellow  from  which  it  derives  its  common  name. 
Its  scientific  name  was  given  after  the  Hon.  Marshall 
McDonald,  who  was  the  U.  S.  Fish  Commissioner  at  the 
time  it  was  recognized  as  a  sub-species  of  clarkii.  . 

The  Yellow-fin  Trout  is  found  largely  on  shallow 
gravelly  bottoms,  and  is  not  often  taken  in  deep  water; 
it  spawns  in  the  spring  and  rises  readily  to  the  fly. 

This  trout  has  "body  more  elongate  and  more  compressed  than 
usual  among  the  trout.  Head  long,  compressed,  the  snout  mod- 
erately pointed. 

"Scales  small  and  regularly  placed. 

"Color,  silvery  olive,  a  broad  lemon  yellow  shade  along  the 
sides,  lower  fins  bright  golden  yellow  in  life,  no  red  anywhere 
except  the  deep  red  dash  on  each  side  of  the  throat,  which  is  never 
wanting  in  Salmo  clarkii.  Body  posteriorly  and  on  dorsal  and 
caudal  fin  profusely  speckled  with  small  pepper-like  spots,  smaller 
than  the  nostril  and  smaller  than  in  any  other  forms  of  the  Salmo 
clarkii.  Occasionally  these  spots  extend  forward  to  the  head,  but 
they  are  usually  sparse  on  the  anterior  half  of  the  body." 

The  Waha  Lake  Trout  of  Washington 
Salmo-clarkii-bouvieri  (Bendire) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  Waha  Lake,  Washington, 
which  is  a  mountain  lake  without  outlet.    It  is  a  small 

32 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

trout  with  peculiar  markings,  having  a  short,  blunt  head, 
with  large  eyes.  The  spots  are  only  found  on  the  pos- 
terior part  of  the  body. 

The  Spotted  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-jordani  (Meek) 

The  Salmon  Trout 
Salmo-clarkii-declivifrons  ( Meek) 

Both  of  these  trout  are  natives  of  Lake  Sutherland, 
Clallam  County,  Washington.  It  is  a  mountain  lake  not 
far  from  Lake  Crescent,  but  is  not  connected  with  it. 
These  two  trout  were  discovered  by  Dr.  Daniel  G.  Elliot. 

The  Yellowstone  Trout 
{Salmo-clarkii-lewisi) 

David  Starr  Jordan  and  Barton  Warren  Evermann 
say: 

"The  Yellowstone  or  Lewis  trout  inhabits  the  Snake  River 
basin  above  Shoshone  Falls,  and  the  headwaters  of  the  Missouri. 
It  is  abundant  throughout  this  whole  region  in  all  accessible  waters, 
and  is  particularly  numerous  in  Yellowstone  Lake.  As  already 
stated  the  trout  of  Yellowstone  Lake  certainly  came  into  the  Mis- 
souri basin  by  way  of  Two-Ocean  Pass  from  Upper  Snake  River 
basin.  One  of  the  present  writers  has  caught  them  in  the  very  act 
of  going  over  Two-Ocean  Pass  from  Pacific  into  Atlantic  drain- 
age. The  trout  on  the  two  sides  of  the  pass  cannot  be  separated, 
and  constitute  a  single  species." 

Columbia  River  Trout 

(The  Silver  Trout) 
{Salmo-clarkii-gibbsii) 

Of  this  trout  David  Starr  Jordan  and  Barton  Warren 
Evermann  say: 

33 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"In  the  tributaries  of  the  Columbia,  between  Shoshone  Falls 
and  the  Cascades,  in  the  lakes  and  larger  streams,  there  is  a  trout 
which  may  be  called  the  silver  trout.  It  is  particularly  common 
in  the  Des  Chutes  River,  and  in  the  Payette  Lakes  in  Idaho.  Ex- 
amples about  15  inches  long  taken  in  Big  Payette  Lake,  had  the 
spots  small,  half  circles,  few  below  middle  of  side;  rosy  wash  on 
side  and  opercles,  brightest  in  the  male;  scarcely  any  red  on  throat; 
belly  silvery,  back  dark-greenish;  scales  about  140  to  145." 


THE   TAHOE   TROUT 

Genus :  Salmo,    Species :  Henshawi, 

The  Tahoe  Trout  receives  its  name  from  Lake  Tahoe, 
which  is  located  in  California  and  Nevada,  about  two- 
thirds  being  in  Placer  and  Eldorado  counties,  California, 
and  one-third  in  Ormsby  and  Douglas  counties,  Nevada. 
This  lake  has  an  elevation  of  6,225  feet,  and  its  greatest 
depth  is  1,640  feet.  Carson  City,  the  capital  of  Nevada, 
is  the  nearest  large  city,  and  is  about  ten  miles  distant. 

The  Tahoe  Trout  is  a  native  of  Lake  Tahoe,  its  tribu- 
taries and  outlet,  and  is  also  found  in  Pyramid  Lake,  the 
Humboldt  and  the  Carson. 

The  Tahoe  Trout  "is  a  distinct  species  from  Salmo  clarkii  and 
must  be  regarded  as  the  finest  of  all  the  cutthroat  trout. 

''It  is  readily  known  by  its  spotted  belly,  the  black  spots  being 
evenly  scattered  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  body,  above  and 
below." 

This  is  a  wonderfully  game  fish,  and  is  to  be  found 
in  abundance  in  Lake  Tahoe  and  Pyramid  Lake. 

Pyramid  Lake,  with  an  elevation  of  4,000  feet,  is  lo- 

34 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

cated  in  Washoe  County,  Nevada,  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  State.  It  is  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  Cali- 
fornia line,  and  slightly  to  the  northeast  of  Tahoe  Lake, 
which  is  fifty  miles  distant.  Reno,  thirty  miles  away,  is 
the  nearest  large  city. 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-henshawi 

Silver  Trout  of  Lake  Tahoe 
(Salmo-henshawi-tahoensis) 

This  sub-species  is  found  in  the  depths  of  Lake  Tahoe, 
where  it  lives,  spawns  and  grows  to  the  great  weight  of 
twenty-five  to  thirty  pounds. 

THE   GOLDEN   TROUT 

Genus:  Salmo,    Species:  Gilberti, 

The  Golden  Trout  is  a  native  of  the  Kings  and  Kern 
rivers  of  California  and  the  creeks  running  into  them. 
These  are  very  handsome  trout,  being  most  beautifully 
and  brilliantly  marked  and  colored. 

They  rise  with  alacrity  to  the  fly,  and  the  game  quali- 
ties disclosed  when  hooked  greatly  surpass,  for  size  and 
weight,  all  other  species  of  Salmo-trout.  All  of  the  fins 
are  especially  large  and  powerful  for  such  small  trout, 
and  it  is  on  that  account,  in  a  measure,  that  they  fight  so 
savagely  and  persistently  when  hooked. 

There  is  a  peculiar  lightish  coloring  to  the  tip  of  the 
dorsal  fin,  which  is  always  present  to  a  greater  or  less  de- 
gree, and  is  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  species. 

35 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

''In  isolated  streams  with  a  bottom  of  red  granite  at  the  head- 
waters of  the  Kern  are  three  species  called  'golden  trout,'  all  small 
and  all  brilliantly  colored,  each  of  these  species  being  indepen- 
dently derived  from  Salmo  gilberti,  the  special  traits  fixed  through 
isolation." 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-gilberti 

The  Golden  Trout  of  South  Fork, 

Kern  River,  California 

{Salmo-gilberti-aguabonita) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  the  creek  from  w^hich  it  de- 
rives its  name.  The  South  Fork  of  the  Kern  River  is 
in  Kern  and  Tulare  Counties,  California,  and  is  about 
one  hundred  and  ten  miles  almost  directly  north  of  Los 
Angeles. 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Soda 

Creek,  California 

{Salmo-gilberti-whitei) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  Soda  creek,  which  is  to  the 
southeast  of  Clear  Lake  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of 
Lake  Colusa  County,  California,  and  about  seventy-five 
miles  almost  directly  north  of  San  Francisco. 

The  Golden  Trout  of  Volcano 

Creek,  California 

(Salmo-gilberti-roosevelti) 

This  trout  is  a  native  of  Volcano  creek,  from  which  it 
receives  its  name. 


36 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE    BROWN   TROUT 

Genus :  Salmo,    Species :  Fario, 

The  Brown  Trout  is  the  brook-trout  of  Europe  and  is 
the  principal  trout  of  England  and  Germany,  but  is  not  a 
native  of  America. 

It  has  been  imported  into  this  country,  planted  in 
eastern  waters  and  from  these  waters  it  has  been  trans- 
planted to  some  western  waters,  seeming  to  thrive  in  both 
places. 

The  Brown  Trout,  from  several  standpoints,  is  with- 
out doubt  the  least  attractive  of  all  the  species  of  trout 
found  in  America  which  rise  to  a  fly. 

Its  coloring  or  marking  is  poor  indeed  when  com- 
pared with  other  trout.  It  is  of  a  dirty  brown  color,  shad- 
ing off  to  a  yellow  on  the  lower  sides  with  a  white  belly ; 
it  has  comparatively  few  red  spots  in  addition  to  the  black 
ones  and  the  scales  are  large,  which  gives  an  appearance 
of  coarseness  and  a  lack  of  that  beauty  which  character- 
izes other  trout. 

It  is  a  game  trout,  but  less  so  than  nearly  if  not  all  of 
the  other  species,  and  I  say  this  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  some  few  anglers  (mostly  dry-fly  men)  have  cried 
early  and  late  its  game  qualities. 

It  rises  readily  to  the  fly  and  strikes  with  some  force; 
but  when  hooked,  after  a  short  struggle,  during  which  it 
often  breaks  water  two  or  three  times,  it  gives  up,  and  is 
quite  easily  and  quickly  landed. 

27 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  Brown  Trout  is  a  hardy  fish,  and  can  live,  propa- 
gate and  thrive  in  much  warmer  water  than  the  Brook 
Trout.  It  is  at  its  best  (in  every  way)  when  found  in 
rather  swift  running  streams,  for  then  it  shows  its  greatest 
life  and  gaminess,  due  entirely  to  the  environment. 

If  there  were  no  other  kind  of  trout  that  would  rise 
to  the  fly  in  this  country  than  this  foreigner,  the  Brown 
Trout  might,  and  probably  would  be,  considered  by  all 
anglers  "a  fish  of  quality,"  but  as  yet  such  is  not  the  case. 

Sub-species  of  Salmo-fario 

The  English  Brown  Trout 

(Loch  Leven  Trout) 
{Salmo-fario-levenensis) 

This  trout  is  found  in  some  lakes  and  streams  of  this 
country,  and  is  superior  to  the  German  species  in  every 
way. 

THE   LAKE   TROUT 

Genus:  Christivomer,    Species:  Namaycush, 

This  trout  differs  from  the  true  Charr,  although  closely 
allied  to  them,  but  it  is  now  placed  in  a  different  genus. 

This  trout  does  not,  except  in  rare  instances  and  under 
peculiar  conditions,  ever  rise  to  the  natural  or  artificial 
fly,  but  is  caught  by  almost  any  kind  of  bait  (dead  or 
alive)  by  trolling  or  still  fishing  in  deep  water. 

Small  Lake  Trout  have  been  actually  caught  on  the 
fly  in  shallow  water  over  sandy  and  gravelly  bars,  where 
a  stream  enters  a  lake,  but  as  far  as  I  know  it  has  always 

38 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

been  in  warm  weather  during  the  dusk  of  the  evening. 
Trout  so  taken  weigh  from  one  and  one-half  to  two  and 
one-half  pounds,  and  they  put  up  an  unusually  good  fight 
for  a  short  time.  The  chance  of  catching  these  fish  in 
this  way,  however,  is  so  remote  that  it  is  hardly  worth 
while  attempting  it. 

The  Lake  Trout  is  also  called  the  Mackinaw  Trout, 
the  Lunge  or  the  Togue,  and  is  found  in  many  lakes  of 
New  England,  New  York  to  Wisconsin,  Montana  and 
the  Mackensie  River. 

It  grows  to  a  large  size,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  pounds 
being  not  uncommon,  and  occasionally  it  reaches  a  weight 
of  forty  to  seventy  pounds,  and  they  have  been  caught 
weighing  one  hundred  pounds. 

Up  to  a  weight  of  about  seven  or  eight  pounds  the 
Lake  Trout  is  rather  a  handsome  fish,  but  after  it  exceeds 
this  weight  it  begins  to  lose  its  good  looks  and  grow 
ugly.    The  very  heavy  fish  become  almost  monstrosities. 

Sub-species  of  Christivomer-namaycush 

The  Siscowet  or 

Lake  Trout  of  Lake  Superior 

Christivomer-namaycush-siscowet  (Agassiz) 

"The  siscowet  differs  from  the  ordinary  Great  Lake  trout  in 
having  a  deeper  body,  which  is  covered  with  a  thicker  skin,  be- 
neath which  is  an  excessive  development  of  fatty  tissue. 

"The  scales  are  somewhat  larger  and  the  color  is  usually 
somewhat  paler. 

"This  fish  is  practically  confined  to  Lake  Superior,  where  it  is 
abundant  in  deep  water.  Occasional  examples  have  been  taken 
in  Lakes  Huron  and  Erie." 

39 


CHAPTER   II 
THE   ART   OF   FLY-FISHING 

Although  fly-fishing  is  a  fine  art  it  can  be  acquired 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent  by  any  angler  who  makes  a 
study  of  it,  and  the  proficiency  attainable  is  only  governed 
by  the  natural  and  sometimes  by  the  acquired  ability  of 
the  angler. 

It  is  essentially  a  personal  or  individual  art,  and  can 
be  perfected  to  a  marked  degree,  after  the  rudimentary 
principles  have  been  acquired,  by  carefully  studying  the 
habits  of  the  fish  and  the  conditions  governing  the  waters 
in  which  they  are  found.  By  rudimentary  principles  is 
meant  the  casting  of  the  fly,  the  handling  of  the  line,  leader 
and  fly  when  fishing.  Everything  else  is  personal  or  in- 
dividual, and  success  is  dependent  only  upon  knowledge 
of  the  habits  of  the  fish  and  the  "fish  sense"  of  the  angler. 

The  ability  of  any  fisherman  is  naturally  measured 
by  the  success  attained  in  catching  fish,  and  the  degree 
of  success  is  determined  by  the  consistency  of  the  angler*s 
performances  during  a  period  of  months  or  years. 

Some  persons  become  expert  anglers  in  stream  fish- 
ing while  they  fail  to  make  even  a  respectable  showing  on 
any  other  kind  of  water ;  and  often  still-water  anglers  of 

40 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

considerable  skill  cannot  induce  a  trout  to  rise  to  a  fly 
when  fishing  a  stream. 

Trout  fly-fishing  with  the  artificial  fly  embraces  two 
very  unlike  methods,  and  they  are  known  as  the  wet-fly 
method  and  the  dry-fly  method. 

The  art,  skill  and  success  of  both  methods  consist 
in  the  ability  of  the  angler  to  catch  trout  with  light  tackle 
under  ever-changing  conditions,  and  the  angler  who  is 
a  consistent  performer  is  called  a  good  and  successful  fly 
fisherman. 

The  wet-fly  method  has  been  in  existence  for  cen- 
turies, while  the  dry-fly  method  was  born  about  the  first 
of  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  dry-fly  method  has  been  prac- 
ticed in  this  country  to  a  very  limited  extent  for  fifteen 
years  or  more,  it  is  only  during  the  last  five  or  six  years 
that  the  number  of  dry-fly  fishermen  has  increased  suf- 
ficiently to  bring  this  branch  of  fly-fishing  into  wider 
notice. 

At  the  present  time  a  few  exponents  of  the  method  are 
valiantly  trying  still  further  to  increase  their  number 
(using  peculiar  ways,  to  say  the  least)  by  persistently 
abusing  the  wet-fly  method  as  well  as  the  wet-fly  fishermen, 
without  showing  much  regard  for  the  truth  or  facts. 

As  illustrative  of  this  attitude  I  quote  from  an  article 
which  appeared  during  1912  in  one  of  our  sporting  maga- 
zines, entitled  "Caught  with  the  Dry  Fly." 

"If  the  angler  wishes  to  be  a  true  fly-fisherman,  let  him  give  up 
such  tactics"  (wet-fly-fishing)  "and  cast  the  dry  fly! 

41 


JROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"That  the  wet-fly  is  in  many  ways  successful  is  freely  ad- 
mitted; .  .  .  but  is  it  fly-fishing  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the 
term?    Is  it  not  often  rather  bait  fishing  with  a  fly  as  bait? 

"It  is  comparatively  of  little  moment  to  the  wet-fly  fisher  how 
his  fly  drops  upon  the  water,  for  a  greater  part  of  the  time  the  fly 
is  let  to  sink  below  the  surface,  and  if  necessary  yanked  up  to  the 
top  of  the  water  again. 

"And,  furthermore,  how  often  is  the  wet-fly  caster  aware  that 
a  fish  has  taken  his  fly  before  he  feels  the  jerk  on  his  line  resulting 
from  the  grab?  In  other  words,  how  often  does  he  know  what  is 
going  on  at  the  end  of  his  line  while  his  fly  is  below  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  often  completely  out  of  sight?  And  how  does  all 
this  differ  from  bait  fishing  with  a  fly? 

"Would  not  the  same  method  be  used  were  the  fly  replaced  by 
a  worm?" 


I  now  quote  what  the  writer  has  to  say  about  the  dry- 
fly: 

"And  everything  within  the  range  of  vision,  with  the  fly  al- 
ways on  the  surface,  so  that  the  dash  of  the  fish  which  always  pre- 
cedes its  furious  onset  is  well  and  fully  seen  and  taken  in  time,  and 
can  be  successfully  acted  upon  in  consequence. 

"Are  such  conditions  not  more  gratifying  to  the  angler  than 
the  average  conditions  under  which  trout  are  caught  by  the  caster 
of  the  wet  fly? 

"One  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  favor  of  the  use  of  the  dry- 
fly  in  preference  to  the  wet  is  the  undeniable  fact  that  the  greatest 
amount  of  pleasure  derived  from  fly-casting  for  trout  is  experi- 
enced in  causing  the  fish  to  rise  and  take  the  fly,  for  after  he  is  once 
hooked  the  whole  proceeding  begins  to  quiet  down  and  lose  its 
charm,  for  it  is  a  very  easy  matter  to  land  a  trout  that  is  well- 
hooked,  the  process  requiring  but  little  skill,  for  the  trout  rarely 
leaps  into  the  air,  as  do  salmon  and  bass,  for  instance,  and  hence 
it  is  comparatively  easy  to  guide  him  over  the  landing  net  and 
thence  into  the  creel. 

"The  channel  is  a  broad  one,  and  consequently  the  shores  are 

42 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

far  apart,  giving  plenty  of  space  in  which  to  make  a  long  cast  with- 
out the  aggravating  interference  of  nearby  bushes  and  trees,  and 
then,  again,  this  generous  expanse  of  water  gives  the  hooked  trout 
a  large  field  in  which  to  exploit  his  agility,  meanwhile  keeping  the 
fisherman  in  suspense!" 


In  substance,  this  is  the  gist  of  what  I  have  quoted 
about  the  two  methods  of  trout  fly-fishing: 

The  wet- fly  method: 

That  wet-fly  fishermen  are  nothing  more  than  "bait" 
fishermen  using  a  fly  as  bait. 

"That  it  is  comparatively  of  little  moment"  how  the 
wet-fly  fisher  handles  his  fly. 

That  wet-fly  fishermen  "for  a  greater  part  of  the  time" 
let  their  flies  sink  well  below  the  surface  and  then  yank 
them  "up  to  the  top  of  the  water  again." 

That,  as  a  general  proposition,  the  wet-fly  angler  is 
not  aware  that  a  trout  has  risen  to  his  fly  "before  he  feels 
the  jerk  on  his  line  resulting  from  the  grab." 

That  the  wet-fly  method  of  fly-fishing  is  the  same  as 
the  "Bait"  method  of  fishing  because  the  writer  can  see 
no  difference  between  them. 

The  dry-fly  method: 

That  dry-fly  fishermen  are  the  only  real  or  true  fly  fish- 
ermen. 

That  as  soon  as  a  trout  is  hooked  fly-fishing  begins  to 
lose  its  charm. 

That  dry-fly-fishing  is  the  only  proper  way  to  fish  with 

43 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

a  fly  because  everything  is  visible  and  on  that  account  "can 
be  successfully  acted  upon  in  consequence." 

That  notv^ithstanding  everything  is  visible  and  that  a 
well-hooked  trout  requires  ''but  little  skill"  to  handle  and 
land,  dry-fly  fishermen,  when  fishing  under  most  favor- 
able conditions,  are  kept  "in  suspense." 

It  certainly  is  interesting  as  well  as  amusing  to  note 
some  of  the  things  NOT  mentioned  in  this  article,  as,  for 
instance,  how  and  where  the  writer  obtained  this  wonder- 
ful and  profound  knowledge  about  wet-fly  fishing  and  the 
anglers  who  practice  this  method. 

What  spirit  it  was  that  urged  him  to  write  about  a 
method  of  fly-fishing  of  which  his  very  words  convict  him 
of  having  no  real  knowledge. 

Why  he  lays  claim  to  being  any  kind  of  an  angler  or 
sportsman  after  making  this  kind  of  a  statement,  "for  after 
he"  (meaning  the  trout)  "is  once  hooked  the  whole  pro- 
ceeding begins  to  quiet  down  and  lose  its  charm." 

Upon  what  theory  he  ever  expects  to  gather  in  a  single 
recruit  to  the  ranks  of  the  dry-fly  anglers  with  such  an  un- 
fair article  as  "Caught  with  the  Dry-Fly." 

Why  he  puts  up  as  "one  of  the  strongest  arguments" 
for  the  dry-fly  the  "pleasure  derived  .  .  .  in  caus- 
ing the  fish  to  rise  and  take  the  fly,"  when  this  is  equally 
true  in  every  way  as  regards  the  wet-fly. 

England  gave  birth  to  the  dry-fly  method  of  trout  fish- 
ing, and  it  has  been  extensively  and  successfully  practiced 
there  for  many  years. 

44 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  greatest  exponent  of  the  art  is  an  Englishman, 
Mr.  Frederick  M.  Halford,  the  author  of  the  following 
works : 

"Floating  Flies  and  How  to  Dress  Them." 

*  "Dry-fly  Fishing  in  Theory  and  Practice.** 

*  "Dry-fly  Entomology." 
"Making  a  Fishery." 

"An  Angler's  Autobiography." 

*  "Modern  Development  of  the  Dry-fly." 

*  "The  Dry-fly  Man's  Handbook." 

Mr.  Halford  is  a  real  authority  on  the  subject  of  dry- 
fly  fishing,  and  it  would  be  well  worth  the  expense  of  own- 
ing the  books  marked  with  a  star. 

Although  "Dry-fly  Fishing  in  Theory  and  Practice" 
is  now  out  of  print  an  occasional  copy  can  be  picked  up 
at  times;  but  it  is  earnestly  hoped  that  before  long  there 
will  be  a  new  edition  printed  so  that  all  ardent  anglers 
can  obtain  a  copy. 

The  dry-fly  method  has  been,  and  is,  used  successfully 
in  this  country  on  such  streams  as  the  Esopus,  the  Never- 
sink,  the  Beaverkill  and  the  Willowemoc  in  New  York 
State  as  well  as  some  other  waters,  and  in  eddies,  pools 
and  slack  waters  of  more  rugged  streams;  but  from  my 
experience  and  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain  it 
has  not  proved  successful  on  ponds,  lakes  and  fast-flow- 
ing streams  that  constitute  at  least  ninety-five  per  cent,  of 
the  fishable  waters  for  trout  in  this  country. 

It  is  a  fine  art,  this  dry-fly  method  of  angling,  and  it 

45 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

requires  great  skill  and  patience  to  practice  it  success- 
fully. It  will  not,  however,  I  venture  to  say,  black  the 
stove,  shine  your  shoes,  comb  your  hair,  clean  your  hat, 
or  do  a  thousand  other  things  that  some  American  dry- 
fly  writers  would  have  every  wet-fly  angler  and  beginner 
believe ;  and  it  is  not  perforce  of  many  adverse  conditions, 
the  alpha  and  omega  of  all  fly-fishing. 

This  method  of  fly-fishing  has  come  to  stay,  and  it  has 
its  place  in  the  angling  world  just  the  same  as  wet-fly  fish- 
ing has  its  place,  but  no  more. 

After  owning  a  proper  fly-fishing  equipment,  one  has, 
in  order  to  become  successful  as  a  wet  or  dry-fly  fisher- 
man, to  study  the  nature  of  the  different  species  of  trout; 
one  must  learn  their  habits  and  actions  under  many  varied 
conditions,  such  as  locality,  the  time  of  year,  the  time 
of  day,  the  kind  of  day,  the  depth  of  water,  the  temperature 
of  the  water  and  the  weather  and  water  conditions,  also 
the  character  of  the  natural  food  they  have  to  live  upon 
in  the  many  different  kinds  of  trout  waters. 

Remember  that  as  conditions  change  in  the  different 
trout  waters,  so  must  the  method  of  fly-fishing  vary,  if  the 
angler  is  to  meet  with  success,  as  it  is  only  by  careful  ob- 
servation and  study  of  the  altering  conditions  that  the 
beginner  can  ever  arrive  at  the  much-coveted  goal  .  .  . 
that  of  becoming  a  really  good  fly  fisherman. 

My  suggestion  to  all  fly  fishermen  is  to  use  both  the 
wet  and  dry-fly  methods  of  fishing,  and  not  to  confine 
themselves  to  either  method  exclusively,  but  to  use  the 
method  best  adapted  to  the  waters  it  may  be  their  good 

46 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

fortune  to  fish.  In  this  way  one  will  be  enabled  to  en- 
joy the  pursuit  of  angling  to  the  fullest  extent  whenever 
one  can  get  away  from  the  hot,  noisy  city  and  tiresome 
daily  work,  whether  it  be  for  a  day,  a  week  or  a  month. 

In  order  that  there  may  be  no  misunderstanding  about 
anything  I  say,  let  it  be  understood  that  I  am  a  firm  be- 
liever in  both  the  wet  and  dry-fly  method  of  trout  fishing. 
But  while  I  believe  above  all  in  fair  play  and  tolerance 
of  other  anglers'  views,  I  also  believe  in  severe  criticism 
of  writers,  on  any  branch  of  angling,  who,  for  any  rea- 
son, make  unfair,  unjust,  untrue,  and  contemptible  state- 
ments and  insinuations  about  brother  writers  and  what 
they  have  to  say. 

When  considering  the  art  of  fly-fishing  it  is  important 
to  realize  that  there  is  as  much  difference  between  the  art 
of  fly-casting  and  fly-fishing  as  there  is  between  daylight 
and  darkness.  A  person  may  be  an  expert  fly-caster  and 
at  the  same  time  be  absolutely  ignorant  of  the  art  of  either 
wet  or  dry-fly  fishing.  This  is  said  with  no  idea  of  dis- 
paragement of  the  art  of  casting  or  tournament  casters. 

The  two  arts  are  very  dissimilar,  and  it  is  not  strange 
that  such  is  the  case  when  one  considers  that  in  fly-cast- 
ing there  is  but  one  essential  requirement,  while  in  dry-fly 
fishing  there  are  four  and  in  wet-fly  fishing  there  are  five. 

Requirements  in  Fly-Casting: 

This  art  requires  solely  the  casting  of  a  line,  leader 
and  fly,  or  their  equivalent,  with  a  fly  rod  and  nothing 
more. 

47 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  aim  being  to  cast  accurately  the  greatest  possible 
distance  and  to  accomplish  it  in  "good  form." 

Requirements  in  Dry-Fly  Fishing: 

This  method  has  four  requirements,  three  more  than 
fly-casting,  and  they  are: 

The  casting  of  the  fly, 
The  striking  of  the  fish, 
The  playing  of  the  fish, 
The  landing  of  the  fish. 

Requirements  in  Wet-Fly  Fishing: 

This  method  has  five  requirements,  four  more  than 
fly-casting  and  one  more  than  the  dry-fly  method,  and  they 

are: 

The  casting  of  the  fly, 
The  fishing  of  the  fly. 
The  striking  of  the  fish, 
The  playing  of  the  fish. 
The  landing  of  the  fish. 

Primarily  there  are,  between  the  wet  and  the  dry-fly 
method  of  fly-fishing,  only  two  radically  different  require- 
ments in  the  successful  application  of  both  methods, 
namely,  The  casting  of  the  fly  and  The  fishing  of  the  fly. 

The  Dry-Fly  Method: 

To  fish  properly  by  this  method  it  is  necessary  to  use 
especially-made  flies  that  embody  two  all-important  fea- 
tures, likeness  to  the  natural  flies  found  upon  our  streams, 

48 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

and  so  made  that  they  will  float  with  the  wings  cocked  for 
a  considerable  length  of  time.  After  having  obtained  the 
proper  equipment  the  most  important  element  in  dry-fly 
fishing  is  "The  casting  of  the  fly" 

The  Wet-Fly  Method: 

With  this  method  of  fly-fishing  no  especially  made 
flies  are  necessary  to  success,  as  both  wet  and  dry  flies 
are  productive  of  good  results. 

The  all-important  element  to  obtain  success  in  wet- 
fly  fishing  is  **The  fishing  of  the  fly" 

That  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  what  is  the 
all-important  element  in  wet-fly  fishing,  I  am  well  aware, 
but  this  difference  is  not  nearly  so  great  between  the  wet- 
fly  anglers  themselves  as  it  is  between  the  dry  and  the  wet- 
fly  fisherman. 

Just  why  it  is  that  dry-fly  anglers  have  so  much  to  say 
about  this  particular  subject,  wet-fly  fishing,  I  sometimes 
wonder,  because,  judging  from  their  attitude,  how  can  it 
possibly  interest  them? 

As  illustrative  of  this  remark,  let  us  for  a  moment  con- 
sider, along  this  line,  what  some  dry-fly  anglers  have  to 
say. 

Taken  from  "Caught  with  the  Dry- Fly" : 

"It  is  comparatively  of  little  moment  to  the  wet-fly  fisher  how 
his  fly  drops  upon  the  water,  for  a  greater  part  of  the  time  the  fly 
is  let  to  sink  below  the  surface,  and  if  necessary  yanked  up  to  the 
top  of  the  water  again." 

49 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Taken  from  "The  Dry-Fly  in  America"  (La 
Blanche) : 

"Even  in  wet-fly  fishing  it  is  at  all  times  necessary  to  cast  deli- 
cately and  accurately.     .     .     . 

"The  man  who  believes  this  (that  the  casting  of  a  fly  is  sub- 
ordinate to  the  fishing  of  the  fly)  will  never  become  an  accom- 
plished fly  fisherman ;  nor  will  he,  if  he  does  not  realize  that  the 
greatest  essential  to  success  lies  in  placing  the  fly  lightly  and  ac- 
curately." 

Taken  from  **The  New  York  Tiniest  June  g,  1913: 

"The  wet-fly,  as  anyone  conversant  at  all  with  angling  knows, 
sinks  as  soon  as  it  strikes  the  water." 

So  it  seems  that  dry-fly  enthusiasts  are  somewhat  at 
odds  about  what  is  the  proper  thing  for  the  wet-fly  man 
to  do. 

While  it  is  easy  to  contend  that  a  man  is  wrong  if  one 
happens  to  disagree  with  him,  it  is  rarely  a  convincing 
form  of  argument.  Disputed  questions  whether  in  law 
or  sport  should  be  argued  fairly  and  impartially,  and  it 
is  disappointing  to  find,  as  I  have  pointed  out,  that  the 
spokesman  of  the  minority  has  preferred  to  make  state- 
ments which  even  a  casual  examination  prove  to  be  biased 
and  incorrect. 

Some  of  the  dry-fly  anglers,  if  we  are  to  judge  from 
what  many  of  them  put  into  print,  belong  to  the  minority 
class  who  spell  success  in  fly-fishing  with  the  word  AN- 
TICIPATION, and  seem  to  take  issue  with  the  wet-fly 
angler  because  he  sees  fit  to  spell  success  with  the  word 
REALIZATION, 

50 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

In  other  words,  the  large  majority  (wet-fly  anglers) 
are  wrong,  and  the  small  minority  (dry-fly  anglers)  are 
right,  because  they  say  they  are,  and  this  is,  in  their  minds, 
sufficient  to  settle  the  matter. 

You  will  find  that  American  dry-fly  anglers  say  many 
unfair  things  about  wet-fly  anglers  and  their  method, 
largely  in  the  form  of  abuse  and  untruthful  statements. 

Where  do  you  find  the  wet-fly  anglers  stating  any  such 
things  about  dry-fly  anglers? 

The  strongest  term  I  have  heard  applied  to  the  dry- 
fly  man  by  the  advocate  of  the  wet-fly  is  that  of  "faddist." 

I  have  yet  to  find  a  single  recorded  instance  where  a 
wet-fly  angler  has  resorted  to  the  same  questionable  tac- 
tics as  the  American  dry-fly  angler,  and  I  believe  this  to 
be  the  case  because  he  grants  to  the  dry-fly  man  the  same 
right  he  claims  for  himself:  the  privilege  of  fishing  as  he 
sees  fit  without  damning  any  particular  method  or  tell- 
ing him  how  he  should  fish. 

The  American  dry-fly  writer  seems  to  delight  in  al- 
ways speaking  of  the  wet-fly  as  the  "sodden"  and  "sunken" 
fly,  but  that  does  not  make  it  so  in  reality,  nor  does  the 
fact  that  the  wet-fly  writer  has  called  the  dry-fly  a  "fad" 
and  its  user  a  "faddist"  make  it  so. 

Of  course  it  is  possible,  but  not  at  all  probable,  that 
some  of  the  dry-fly  writers  know  nothing  about  wet-fly 
fishing  or  their  knowledge  has  been  gained  not  from  good 
but  poor  wet-fly  men.  In  either  case  they  should  be  for- 
given for  what  they  say,  but  not  for  writing  about  a  sub- 
ject in  ignorance. 

51 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  good  and,  therefore,  successful  wet-fly  anglers  do 
not  use  a  "sodden"  or  "sunken"  fly  in  the  sense  the  dry- 
fly  writer  would  have  his  readers  believe. 

A  "sodden"  fly  is  one  that  has  been  soaked  through  and 
through  in  water,  it  is  saturated;  and  such  are  the  flies 
the  wet-fly  angler  is  said  to  use  by  the  dry-fly  men,  and 
they  are  also  said  to  be  made  "sodden"  before  they  are 
used. 

This  is  a  deliberate  misstatement  of  facts  because  they 
are  not  true ;  real  wet-fly  anglers  never  soak  their  flies  be- 
fore using. 

A  wet-fly  in  the  hands  of  a  good  wet-fly  man  is  never  a 
"sodden"  fly,  and  cannot  become  so  even  with  constant  use 
because  it  cannot  be  made  saturated,  owing  to  the  way  it 
is  handled. 

A  "sunken"  fly  is  one  that  must  be  deep  down  in  the 
water,  such  as  a  "sunken"  rock,  a  "sunken"  battery,  a 
"sunken"  body  or  a  "sunken"  boat,  but  the  wet-fly  that  is 
fished  under  the  surface  of  the  water  from  one  to  twenty 
inches  should  not  be  by  any  stretch  of  the  imagination 
called  "sunken,"  especially  as  it  is  controlled  and  manipu- 
lated by  the  angler. 

The  wet-fly  can  only  become  a  "sunken"  fly  after  it 
has  been  made  "sodden"  and  all  control  over  it  has  been 
lost  by  the  angler,  due  to  the  severing  of  the  leader  or  line. 

The  wet-fly  is  fished  by  the  great  majority  of  wet-fly 
anglers  in  this  country,  mostly  upon  or  nearly  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water,  just  iinder  the  surface  and  sometimes 
as  deep  as  twenty  inches,  but  never  so  far  below  the  sur- 

52 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

face  that  the  angler  cannot  see  the  swirl  of  the  trout  when 
it  rises  and  strikes. 

The  wet-fly  angler  is  said  to  fish  his  fly  or  flies  in  such 
a  manner  and  so  deep  that  he  cannot  tell  when  he  has  a 
strike  until  he  feels  the  "yank,"  the  "grab"  or  the  "jerk" 
on  the  line ;  and  the  strangest  part  of  all  this  is  that  the  dry- 
fly  writer  apparently  thinks  that  his  readers  will  believe 
such  absurd  stuff. 

It  is  but  fair  to  say  right  here  of  the  good  wet-fly  angler 
that  he  never  waits  until  he  feels  the  "yank,"  the  "grab" 
or  the  "jerk"  on  his  line  before  striking,  because  if  he 
did  he  could  not  be  called  a  good  fisherman  for  the  reason 
he  would  be  unsuccessful. 

The  fact  is  that  such  statements  as  these  are  wholly 
untrue  and  should  be  beneath  the  dignity  of  any  dry-fly 
writer  to  make  if  he  has  any  real  knowledge  of  wet-fly 
fishing,  and  if  he  has  no  knowledge  then  they  are  per- 
nicious. 

The  wet-fly  anglers  have  been  very  patient  for  some 
time,  and  even  now  have  no  desire  to  quarrel  with  their 
brothers,  the  dry-fly  men,  but  they  do  insist  upon  fair 
play  and  protest  against  the  many  unfair  and  untrue  state- 
ments and  insinuations  made  by  them. 

Dry 'Fly  Fishing: 

Concisely,  dry-fly  fishing  consists  in  fishing  with  an 
artificial  fly,  especially  constructed  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  resemble  the  natural  insect  and  float  and  remain  upon 
the  surface  of  the  water  if  properly  handled  by  the  angler. 

53 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Only  one  fly  is  used,  which  is  generally  of  the  eyed 
hook  pattern,  fastened  to  a  light,  finely  drawn,  tapered 
or  flat  silkworm  gut  leader,  which  in  turn  is  fastened  to 
a  tapered  or  flat  high-grade  enameled  water-proofed  silk 
line.  The  tapered  leader  and  tapered  line  are  the  best  to 
use  and  have  the  approval  of  the  "purists." 

The  rod  is  preferably  of  split  bamboo,  from  nine  feet 
and  a  half  to  ten  feet  and  a  half  in  length,  and  weighs  from 
four  and  one-half  to  seven  ounces. 

The  rod  that  finds  general  favor  is  one  which  is 
ten  feet  long,  and  weighs  from  five  to  five  and  one-half 
ounces. 

Some  anglers  believe  that  the  rod  should  have  great 
resilience,  thus  making  it  rather  a  "stiff  rod,"  and  on  this 
account  called  by  them  the  "powerful  rod." 

The  MOST  essential  thing,  however,  other  than  qual- 
ity, is  that  the  rod  should  be  suited  to  the  angler^s  physical 
requirements;  in  other  words,  it  must  fit  him. 

The  fly  is  cast  "up  stream"  by  most  dry-fly  anglers, 
and  it  is  considered  the  only  proper  way  to  cast  the  dry- 
fly,  when  it  is  possible  to  do  so,  by  the  best  exponents  of 
the  art. 

The  dry-fly  is  kept  in  condition  to  float  by  the  making 
of  a  number  of  false  casts  between  each  regular  cast  and 
by  the  application,  from  time  to  time,  of  paraffin  oil.  To 
accomplish  the  same  thing  with  the  leader  and  a  portion 
of  the  line,  deer  fat  is  rubbed  on  them. 

As  the  object  in  dry-fly  fishing  is  to  keep  the  fly  always 
floating  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  properly  placed 

54 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

with  the  fly  cocked,  it  is  at  once  apparent  that  the  most 
important  element  in  this  method  of  fishing  must  be  *'the 
casting  of  the  fly*'  because  **the  playing  of  the  fly  is  en- 
tirely eliminated"  as  its  movement  on  the  water  is  caused 
or  should  be  caused  solely  by  the  current. 

In  order  that  the  dry-fly  can  take  its  proper  course 
down  a  stream  like  the  natural  fly  the  angler  is  obliged  to 
have  his  line  slack  after  the  cast  is  made;  otherwise  he 
will  not  be  fishing  properly,  and  will  have  to  contend  with 
what  the  dry-fly  men  call  the  "drag." 

The  striking,  hooking,  playing  and  landing  of  a  trout 
in  no  way  differ  from  the  methods  employed  when  hand- 
ling the  wet-fly. 

The  conditions  governing  the  efficient  use  of  the  dry- 
fly  are  three :  weather,  wind  and  water.  To  practice  this 
art  of  fishing  with  even  a  fair  chance  of  success,  favor- 
able conditions  must  first  exist,  and  over  these  three  con- 
ditions the  angler  has  no  control. 

Is  It  not,  then,  a  fair  statement  to  make  that  the  appli- 
cation of  the  art  of  dry-fly  fishing  is  necessarily  restricted, 
to  some  extent,  as  to  time  and  place  on  account  of  physical 
conditions? 

One  of  the  strong  claims  made  for  dry-fly  fishing  is 
that,  with  this  method  of  fishing,  trout  can  be  caught  in 
certain  waters,  when  the  conditions  are  right,  because 
they  have  become  "educated"  to  the  ordinary  fly  and  the 
wet-fly  method  fails  of  success,  and  this  is  a  proper  and 
just  claim. 

Si 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Wet-Fly  Fishing: 

Wet-fly  fishing  consists  of  all  the  features  of  dry-fly 
fishing,  except  that  especially  constructed  flies  are  not 
often  used  nor  is  anything  applied  as  a  general  thing  to 
the  fly,  leader  and  line  to  make  them  float. 

Wet-fly  fishing,  however,  embraces  one  more  feature 
or  requirement  than  dry-fly  fishing,  namely,  the  playing 
or  fishing  of  the  fly  upon  or  under  the  surface  of  the  water. 

You  will  observe  when  casting  the  wet-fly,  if  you  have 
not  already  done  so,  that  trout  seldom  rise  to  the  fly  when 
it  first  strikes  the  water  after  the  cast  is  made.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  after  years  of  experience  in  wet-fly  fishing  for 
trout,  on  many  kinds  of  water,  I  am  prepared  to  state  as 
my  opinion  that  such  a  thing  does  not  happen  once  in 
thirty  casts. 

Therefore,  it  is  not  alone  the  act  of  casting  the  fly 
lightly  and  well  or  "delicately  and  accurately"  upon  the 
water  that  is  the  means  whereby  trout  are  induced  to  rise 
to  the  fly  in  the  first  instance. 

Consequently,  the  principal  element  to  master  in 
wet-fly  fishing,  in  order  to  make  trout  rise,  is  "the  play- 
ing or  fishing  of  the  fly*  upon  or  under  the  surface  of  the 
water  after  the  cast  has  been  made. 

This  I  realize  is  not  the  theory  or  belief  of  some  dry- 
fly  fishermen  when  speaking  about  wet-fly  fishing,  but 
would  any  wet-fly  angler  think  of  going  to  a  dry-fly 
"purist'*  for  information  as  to  the  most  important  element 
in  wet-fly  fishing  when  there  are  so  many  fully  qualified 
experts  in  the  wet-fly  ranks? 

56 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

In  wet-fly  fishing  there  is  no  such  thing  as  the  "drag," 
consequently  the  fly  or  flies  are  fished  with  a  taut  line,  and 
the  command  of  the  fly  is  always  with  the  angler. 

This  is  what  Mr.  Samuel  G.  Camp,  in  his  book  entitled 
"The  Fine  Art  of  Fishing,"  has  to  say  on  this  subject: 

"The  manner  in  which  the  flies  are  fished  distinguishes  the  fly- 
fisherman  from  the  mere  fly-caster,  whether  or  no  the  fly-caster  as 
such  be  expert  or  otherwise. 

"Fishing  the  fly,  when  all  is  said,  is  of  far  more  importance 
than  either  the  formation  or  coloration  of  the  fly.  The  operation 
of  casting  may,  to  a  certain  extent  or  natural  limit  of  proficiency, 
be  learned  by  almost  anyone." 

'TIS H IN G  THE  FLY  IS  QUITE  ANOTHER  MAT^ 
TER  AND  HEREIN  THE  ANGLER  SHOWS  HIS 
QUALITY." 

For  your  own  satisfaction  and  education,  when  the 
opportunity  offers,  keep  an  account  of  the  number  of  rises 
you  get  when  your  fly  first  strikes  the  water  and  the  num- 
ber you  get  after  you  have  begun  to  fish  the  fly,  and  so 
prove  for  yourself  what  the  real  facts  are  on  this  subject. 

As  illustrating  the  effect  of  properly  '*  fishing  the  fly* 
on  a  stream  I  will  mention  a  case  that  I  had  the  good  for- 
tune to  observe.  A  certain  pool,  where  there  was  deep 
and  fast  and  slow  running  water,  had  been  fished  faith- 
fully for  nearly  two  hours  by  an  angler  who  was  an  ex- 
pert caster  with  either  a  short  or  a  long  line.  He  tried 
both  wet  and  dry  flies,  but  to  no  avail,  as  not  a  single  fish 
(trout  or  salmon)  rose  to  them.  He  gave  up  the  pool 
in  disgust  to  another  angler,  who  fished  with  the  wet-fly. 

57 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

On  the  third  cast  a  three-pound  salmon  was  hooked, 
played,  landed  and  weighed,  then  returned  to  the  water 
unhurt.  In  less  than  ten  minutes  the  second  angler  had 
hooked  and  landed  another  salmon,  which  weighed  over 
three  pounds  and  returned  this  fish  to  the  water  unhurt. 
After  making  a  change  of  flies  and  casting  for  perhaps 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  he  hooked  and  landed  a  fine 
male  salmon  weighing  five  and  one-half  pounds,  which 
he  killed  and  took  back  to  camp  for  the  next  day's  dinner. 

The  fish  were  rising  during  all  the  time  both  anglers 
were  fishing  the  pool.  Why  was  it  the  good  caster  got 
nothing  and  the  good  fisher  of  the  fly  caught  three  fish? 

Another  instance  I  observed  was  at  a  noted  large  pool 
in  Little  Kennebago  Lake,  Maine.  This  pool  had  been 
fished  all  day  by  at  least  seven  boats  containing  twelve 
fishermen.  The  largest  fish  that  had  been  caught  up  to 
four  o'clock  weighed  just  one  pound.  At  that  time  one 
canoe  and  one  more  boat  arrived  at  the  pool,  and  the  wet- 
fly  angler  in  the  boat  got  a  rise  on  his  second  cast  and 
hooked,  played  and  landed  a  trout  which  weighed  over 
three  pounds  on  the  scales.  Within  half  an  hour  he  had 
caught  several  fair  sized  trout  and  then  "brought  to  net" 
another  one  that  weighed  very  nearly  three  and  three-quar- 
ter pounds.  Only  the  two  large  trout  were  killed  (they 
were  both  male  fish),  and  as  it  was  growing  dusk  he 
started  back  to  camp. 

During  the  time  this  angler  was  at  the  pool  the  other 
anglers  did  not  catch  a  trout  that  weighed  as  much  as  half 
a  pound. 

58 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Why  was  it  this  one  angler  caught  good-sized  trout 
when  fourteen  other  anglers  could  not,  although  they  had 
the  best  locations  at  the  pool? 

These  two  instances,  where  the  angler  who  knew  how 
to  fish  his  flies  and  consequently  caught  fish,  are  but  two  of 
hundreds  of  instances  that  I  have  observed  in  many  parts 
of  this  country. 

The  good  fly  fisherman,  who  is  always  the  successful 
fisherman  in  the  long  run,  not  only  knows  how  to  fish  his 
flies,  but  he  knows  how  to  select  the  flies  to  fish,  and  he 
chooses  them  for  color  according  to  the  weather  and  water 
conditions  and  the  time  of  day. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote 
from  '^Practical  Dry-Fly  Fishing,"  written  by  Mr.  Emlyn 
M.  Gill,  to  show  that  all  dry-fly  men  are  not  in  the  same 
class. 

"But  to  be  a  finished  wet-fly  angler  one  must  possess  as  much 
skill  as  the  dry-fly  fisherman. 

"There  are  no  insurmountable  obstacles  in  the  way  of  becom- 
ing a  successful  dry-fly  angler  that  do  not  confront  the  user  of  the 
sunken  fly." 


59 


CHAPTER   III 

A  COMPARISON  OF   THE  MERITS  OF   THE  WET 
AND   DRY-FLY   METHODS    OF   FLY-FISHING 

To  SAY  that  a  person  enjoys  the  dry-fly  method  of  fly- 
fishing more  than  the  wet  is  entirely  proper  as  it  is  the 
right  and  privilege  of  every  angler  to  select  such  method 
as  he  sees  fit  without  regard  for  what  any  other  angler 
may  think  or  say. 

But  when  it  comes  to  asserting  that  dry-fly  fishing  is 
a  greater  art  than  wet-fly  fishing  it  is  quite  another  ques- 
tion, and  one  that  cannot  be  fairly  determined  by  mere 
opinion. 

The  two  methods  are  very  different  in  one  essential 
at  all  events,  the  casting  of  the  fly,  yet  both  methods  are 
practiced  to  the  same  end,  namely,  that  of  catching  trout ; 
and  to  do  so  both  methods  must  be  applied  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  deceive  the  fish. 

Therefore  we  start  with  a  fact,  not  an  opinion,  that  to 
catch  trout  with  the  artificial  fly  the  fish  must  first  be  de- 
ceived. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  there  are  many  different 
kinds  of  both  wet  and  dry-fly  fishermen,  and  this  neces- 
sarily must  be  the  case  because  all  anglers  cannot  possibly 
have  the  same  knowledge,  experience  and  skill. 

60 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Consequently,  it  must  follow,  as  a  fact,  that  all  anglers, 
irrespective  of  method,  are  not  equally  good  fly-fishermen. 

Because  one  dry-fly  angler  fishes  across  or  down  the 
stream  and  one  wet-fly  angler  fishes  with  his  fly  well  down 
in  the  water,  it  does  not  follow  that  such  an  application  of 
either  method  is  the  proper  or  controlling  factor  by  which 
either  style  of  fly-fishing  should  be  judged. 

Here  then  is  established  the  fact  that  when  comparing 
the  relative  merits  of  wet  and  dry-fly  fishing  it  is  mani- 
festly proper  that  we  should  consider  the  two  methods  as 
set  forth  by  the  best  exponents  of  each  art,  and  it  should 
be  done  fairly  and  without  favor. 

The  dry-fly  angler  uses  flies  that  are  constructed  so  as 
most  nearly  to  represent  the  natural  ones  found  upon  the 
streams,  and  also  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  them  float 
upon  the  surface  of  the  water. 

The  wet-fly  angler  uses  flies  that  only  passably  repre- 
sent a  few  of  the  natural  ones,  but  which  in  most  instances 
do  not  represent,  in  the  remotest  manner,  any  known  kind 
of  fly. 

The  dry-fly  angler  fishes  his  fly  upon  the  surface  of  the 
water  exclusively,  while  the  wet-fly  angler  fishes  his  fly 
or  flies  both  upon  and  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  de- 
pending upon  conditions. 

The  object  with  each  method  being  to  deceive  the  trout 
and  make  them  rise  to  the  fly. 

When  the  dry-fly  is  cast,  to  use  the  expression  of  a 
"Disciple,''  everything  is  "within  the  range  of  vision,  with 
the  fly  always  on  the  surface,"  and  this  is  equally  true 

6i 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

when  the  wet-fly  is  cast  and  fished  upon  or  just  under  the 
surface,  so  far  as  being  "within  the  range  of  vision"  is 
concerned. 

Now  consider  the  flies  mentioned  and  determine  for 
yourself  which  fly  is  most  Hkely  to  deceive  the  wary  trout, 
the  one  most  nearly  representing  the  natural  fly  or  the 
one  which  is  a  poor  imitation? 

And  to  which  fly  would  you  expect  the  trout  to  rise, 
assuming  the  attraction  to  be  solely  the  fly  and  nothing 
else? 

Can  it  be  other  than  self-evident,  first,  that  the  dry- 
fly  would  better  deceive  the  trout,  and,  second,  that  the 
trout  would  naturally  rise  to  the  most  natural-looking 
fly? 

Is  it  not  fair  and  just,  then,  to  say  that  so  far  as  the  fly 
alone  is  concerned  the  dry-fly  has  the  advantage  over  the 
wet-flyf 

Now  consider  the  dry-fly  and  the  wet-fly  when  it  is 
fished  below  the  surface  of  the  water  to  a  depth  of  twelve 
inches,  or  so  deep  that  the  angler  cannot  see  the  fly,  yet 
not  so  deep  as  to  prevent  his  seeing  the  rise  or  swirl  of  the 
trout. 

The  dry-fly  is  "within  the  range  of  vision,"  and  the 
wet-fly  is  without  or  beyond  "the  range  of  vision"  .  .  . 
With  which  fly,  the  wet  or  the  dry,  would  it  be  easier  to 
strike  and  hook  a  rising  trout,  and  with  which  fly  would 
the  greater  skill  be  required? 

Again,  is  it  not  self-evident,  first,  that  it  would  be 

62 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

easier  to  hook  the  fish  with  the  dry-fly,  and,  second,  to  hook 
the  fish  with  the  wet-fly  would  require  the  greater  skill? 

Does  it  not  appear  again  as  if  the  dry-fly  had  the  ad- 
vantage over  the  wet-fly  f 

The  dry-fly  floats  and  moves  without  any  aid  from  the 
angler  after  it  falls  upon  the  water;  therefore,  after  the 
cast  is  made  up  to  the  time  the  fly  is  recovered  for  an- 
other cast,  no  act  of  the  angler  plays  any  part  in  the  de- 
ception or  attraction  of  the  trout — the  fly  does  it  all. 

How  is  it  with  the  wet-fly?  The  angler  makes  his 
cast,  he  then  plays  or  fishes  his  fly  until  a  recovery  is 
necessary  for  another  cast — it  is  the  angler  who  does  it 
all. 

Under  these  conditions  and  facts,  where  does  the 
greater  skill  lie,  with  the  wet  or  the  dry-fly  anglerf 

The  dry-fly  angler  at  the  outset  would  seem  to  have  at 
least  three  points  of  vantage  over  his  brother,  the  wet-fly 
angler,  in  that  he  has : 

First — ^The  most  natural  fly. 

Second — The  fly  most  likely  to  deceive  the  trout. 

Third — His  fly  is  "always  on  the  surface"  with  "everything 
within  the  range  of  vision." 

It  is  only  fair  to  say  that  the  wet-fly  angler  has  one 
advantage  over  the  dry-fly  angler,  which  consists  in  the 
playing  or  fishing  of  the  fly  or  flies  upon  or  under  the 
surface  of  the  water,  although  this  is  not  considered  or 
admitted  to  be  an  advantage  by  the  advocates  of  the  dry- 
fly. 

63 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

There  are  other  features  which  must  be  taken  into 
account  when  comparing  these  two  methods  of  fly-fish- 
ing before  any  conclusion  should  be  reached  as  to  the 
relative  merits  of  each,  and  they  consist  of  where  and 
when  each  method  can  be  successfully  practiced. 

The  dry-fly  angler  can  successfully  ply  his  art  on 
streams  that  are  placid,  slow  running  and  clear;  on 
streams  that  are  shallow,  having  many  rocks  and  small 
or  large  pools  of  no  great  depth;  on  portions  of  more 
rugged  streams,  such  as  eddies,  pools  and  slack  waters 
and  sometimes  on  lakes  just  beyond  where  a  stream  enters. 

Having  the  proper  waters  to  fish,  the  dry-fly  angler 
can  enjoy  fishing,  usually  with  success,  whenever  the 
weather,  wind  and  water  conditions  are  favorable,  but 
at  no  other  time. 

The  dry-fly  angler  cannot  hope  to  accomplish  any- 
thing when  it  is  rainy,  or  when  the  wind  is  high  or  gusty 
or  when  the  water  is  disturbed  or  roilly;  so  it  is  apparent 
that  natural  conditions  must  play  a  most  important  part 
in  the  proper  application  of  the  art  of  dry-fly  fishing  un- 
der all  circumstances. 

On  the  other  hand,  for  the  wet-fly  angler  to  enjoy 
fishing  with  more  than  average  chance  of  success,  all  that 
is  necessary  is  available  fishable  water,  and  it  makes  no 
difference  what  the  weather,  wind  and  water  conditions 
may  be,  so  far  as  applying  the  art  of  wet-fly  fishing  is 
concerned,  because  success  rests  largely  with  the  angler 
and  not  necessarily  with  the  physical  conditions,  as  is 
the  case  in  dry-fly  fishing. 

64 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Would  it  not  seem  at  this  time  that  it  was  a  fair  state- 
ment to  make  that,  everything  considered,  the  wet-fly 
method  was  a  more  comprehensive  method  of  fly-fishing 
than  the  dry-fly  method? 

And  also,  is  it  not  a  truthful  and  impartial  statement 
to  make,  that,  before  dry-fly  fishing  can  be  practiced  with 
success,  certain  absolutely  fixed  requirements  or  condi- 
tions must  be  supplied  either  by  mankind  or  by  nature, 
and  are  not  these  the  five  requirements? 

First — ^The  angler  must  use  only  such  flies  as  will  float. 

Second — The  flies  must  very  closely  resemble  the  natural  flies 
they  are  intended  to  imitate. 

Third — The  flies  must  be  fished  "always  on  the  surface." 

Fourth — The  Angler  must  have  the  proper  water  to  fish  suc- 
cessfully. 

Fifth — ^The  physical  conditions  must  be  such  as  to  enable  the 
angler  to  apply  his  art  properly. 

The  wet-fly  angler  is  not  restricted  to  these  five  re- 
quirements as  is  the  dry-fly  angler.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
he  is  restricted  in  no  sense  of  the  word,  and  only  requires 
fishable  waters  of  any  kind  in  order  to  apply  his  art  of 
angling. 

The  wet-fly  angler  is  not  restricted  as  to  time  and 
place,  as  he  is  not  restricted  as  to  kind  of  fly,  or  as  to  any 
particular  rules  for  fishing  it,  would  it  not  appear  as  if 
the  wet-fly  fisherman  was  the  more  versatile,  and  would  it 
not  follow  that  he  was  also  the  more  skilful  for  the  same 
reason? 

65 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Advantage  does  not  mean  merit,  and  a  restricted  art 
is  not  as  comprehensive  as  one  that  is  unrestricted,  and  it 
is  also  true  that  a  limited  art  cannot  be  as  great  or  re- 
quire such  a  degree  of  skill  as  one  that  is  unlimited. 

In  the  London  Field  appeared  this  statement: 

"Startling  as  the  statement  may  sound,  it  is  probably  true  that 
the  really  good  wet-fly  fisherman  is  a  greater  rarity  than  the  really 
good  dry-fly  man." 

In  the  London  Fishing  Gazette  appeared  this  state- 
ment: 

"A  real  expert  with  the  wet-fly  is  a  much  rarer  bird  than  one 
with  the  dry." 

Do  not  these  two  statements,  coming  as  they  do  from 
the  home  of  the  dry-fly,  indicate  that  greater  skill  is  re- 
quired to  become  a  good  wet-fly  angler  than  to  become  a 
good  dry-fly  angler? 

Emlyn  M.  Gill  in  "Practical  Dry-Fly  Fishing,"  says: 

"But  to  be  a  finished  wet-fly  angler  one  must  possess  as  much 
skill  as  the  dry-fly  fisherman." 

Henry  P.  Wells,  the  author  of  "Fly-Rods  and  Fly- 
Tackle,"  was  one  of  the  greatest  wet-fly  fishermen  this 
country  has  ever  known,  and  one  whose  knowledge  of 
how  the  art  of  fly-fishing  should  be  practiced,  and  how 
the  tackle  should  be  constructed,  has  never  been  sur- 
passed. 

66 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

He  very  aptly  says : 

"The  truth  is  there  are  few  points  in  regard  to  fly-fishing  of 
which  it  may  justly  be  said  this  is  right  and  that  is  wrong,  irre- 
spective of  attendant  circumstances." 

There  appeared  in  The  New  York  Sunday  Times  of 
June  9,  1912,  an  article  upon  Dry-Fly  Fishing  in  which 
Emlyn  M.  Gill  is  reported  as  saying: 

"The  wet-fly,  as  anyone  conversant  at  all  with  angling  knows, 
sinks  as  soon  as  it  strikes  the  water." 

At  the  time  I  read  this  article  I  was  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  Mr.  Gill  had  been  misquoted  on  the  ground 
that  he  was  considered  to  be  an  experienced  wet-fly  angler 
long  before  he  took  up  the  dry-fly.  I  could  not  imagine 
how  anyone,  even  an  angler  of  limited  experience,  so  ex- 
pressing himself  about  the  wet-fly,  unless  the  fly  had  been 
deliberately  soaked  before  ever  a  cast  was  made. 

Such  a  proceeding  would  be  decidedly  irregular  and 
not  at  all  in  keeping  with  good  practice  of  wet-fly  fishing. 

I  forgot  all  about  the  matter  until  I  read  Mr.  GilFs 
article,  entitled  "Dry-Fly  Fishing  with  A.  W.  Dimock,'' 
which  appeared  in  the  February,  1913,  issue  of  Field  and 
Stream, 

In  this  article  Mr.  Gill  states  as  follows : 

"Mr.  Dimock  had  been  for  many  years  a  wet-fly  fisherman, 
and  as  considerable  discussion  had  been  going  on  in  the  sporting 
papers  and  elsewhere  as  to  the  comparative  merits  of  the  dry-fly 
and  the  wet,  we  thought  that  we  would  give  both  an  impartial 
tryout. 

67 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"Standing  below  a  likely  bit  of  water,  after  soaking  a  whirling 
dun  so  thoroughly  that  it  would  sink  immediately  after  striking 
the  water,  I  would  cover  carefully  all  water  within  casting  dis- 
tance. 

"The  stream  was  so  clear  that  usually  I  could  see  the  fly  com- 
ing down  stream  a  few  inches  below  the  surface. 

"After  all  promising  water  had  been  fished  with  care,  the  sod- 
den fly  was  removed  and  a  fly  exactly  like  it,  but  dry,  substituted. 

"The  floating  fly  seemed  to  have  the  effect  of  arousing  the  trout 
to  action  at  once.  During  the  week  I  estimate  that  there  was  an 
average  of  ten  rises  to  the  dry-fly  to  every  one  to  the  same  fly  wet. 

"Mr.  Dimock  will  probably  agree  with  me  in  this  estimate." 

Mr.  Dimock  and  Mr.  Gill  are  both  well-known  an- 
glers, and  anything  either  of  these  gentlemen  says  about 
fly-fishing  is  worthy  of  great  consideration  at  all  times. 

In  this  instance,  however,  I  must  take  exception  to 
what  Mr.  Gill  has  to  say  about  giving  the  dry-fly  and  the 
wet  "an  impartial  tryout,"  but  no  exception  is  taken  to 
the  estimate  of  ten  to  one,  because  a  wet-fly  fisherman  of 
experience  would  expect  to  see  just  such  a  result  follow 
under  the  conditions  of  the  tryout. 

Thinking  perhaps  I  did  not  fully  realize  what  the 
word  impartial  meant,  I  referred  to  "The  Century"  and 
found  impartial  to  mean,  "Not  partial,  not  favor- 
ing one  more  than  another;  unprejudiced,  equitable; 
just." 

Having  this  meaning  in  mind,  I  ask  Mr.  Gill  if  he 
really  considers  it  an  impartial  tryout  of  the  two  fly-fish- 
ing methods  to  have  the  fly  that  is  fished  wet  so  thoroughly 
soaked  "that  it  would  sink  immediately  after  striking  the 
water"? 

68 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

And  why  this  wet-fly  should  be  fished  "up  stream" 
when  most  successful  wet-fly  fishermen  fish  the  fly 
"across"  the  stream  so  that  the  fly  can  be  played  or  fished 
by  the  angler? 

The  try  out  mentioned  by  Mr.  Gill  simply  proved  that 
a  dry-fly  fished  on  the  surface  of  the  water  was  more  suc- 
cessful than  when  fished  under  the  surface. 

It  was  the  merit  of  the  fly  and  the  same  kind  of  fly 
that  was  ascertained  when  fished  in  the  same  way  by  a 
dry-fly  enthusiast,  only  it  was  at  one  time  fished  as  a  dry- 
fly  and  at  another  as  a  "sodden  fly"  "up  stream,"  but  other- 
wise the  method  was  the  same  in  each  case. 

Such  a  tryout  proves  nothing  as  to  the  comparative 
merits  of  the  two  methods,  because  the  two  methods  were 
not  compared.  It  was  a  dry-fly  fished  in  the  same  man- 
ner, but  in  different  places. 

With  all  due  respect  for  Mr.  Gill,  and  I  believe  him 
to  be  the  fairest  of  all  American  dry-fly  anglers,  neverthe- 
less I  am  unable  to  understand  how  such  an  angler  can 
hope  fairly  and  impartially  to  do  even  substantial  justice 
to  both  methods  of  fly-fishing  in  any  kind  of  a  tryout 
where  he  himself  demonstrates  the  application  of  each. 

It  is  hardly  within  the  ability  of  any  angler,  no  matter 
how  expert  he  may  be,  to  be  equally  good  at  the  applica- 
tion of  both  arts,  the  wet  and  the  dry-fly  methods  of 
fishing. 

Then  again  each  angler  has  his  natural  liking  for  one 
of  the  two  methods  of  fly-fishing,  which  of  itself  would 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

render  him  unfit  to  try  out  both  methods  in  any  compara- 
tive test  for  determining  the  merits  of  both. 

The  comparative  merits  of  the  two  methods  of  fly- 
fishing can  only  be  fairly,  squarely  and  impartially  tried 
out  by  two  anglers,  one  representing  the  wet-fly  and  the 
other  the  dry-fly,  and  each  should  be  an  expert  exponent 
of  his  respective  style  of  fly-fishing. 

Results  obtained  from  such  a  tryout  would  be  of  some 
value  in  determining  which  method  was  the  more  compre- 
hensive as  well  as  skillful,  without  prejudice  to  either. 

It  must  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  test  between 
the  dry-fly  dry  and  the  dry-fly  wet  is  not  the  question,  but 
that  the  test  is  between  the  two  methods  of  fishing  with 
a  fly,  the  wet  and  the  dry. 

Mr.  Gill's  tryout  proved  nothing  as  to  the  relative 
merits  of  the  two  styles  of  fly-fishing  any  more  than  a  try- 
out would  prove  anything  had  a  wet-fly  been  substituted 
for  a  dry  one  by  Mr.  Gill,  and  certainly  he  would  not  have 
thought  such  a  tryout  was  at  all  fair  to  his  method  of  fish- 
ing the  fly,  nor  would  any  fair-minded  angler  think  so. 

In  trying  out  the  two  methods  of  fly-fishing  both  ex- 
ponents of  the  two  styles  should  be  obliged  to  fish,  not  only 
waters  suitable  to  the  dry-fly,  but  those  suitable  to  the  wet- 
fly  as  well.  Both  methods  should  be  tested  on  all  the  dif- 
ferent fishable  waters,  for  only  in  this  way  can  the  real 
merits  be  at  all  determined  with  fairness  to  each  and  a 
proper  comparison  be  made. 

It  is  refreshing  at  times  to  observe  the  frankness  and 
fairness  with  which  an  English  dry-fly  angler  says  cer- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

tain  things  about  fly-fishing.  I  have  in  mind  what  George 
A.  B.  Dewar,  author  of  "The  Book  of  the  Dry-Fly"  states 
about  the  two  different  methods  of  fly-fishing. 

"The  dry-fly  is  as  clearly  out  of  place  on  the  wet-fly  water  as 
the  wet-fly  is  on  the  dry-fly  stream." 

"After  all,  it  is  only  in  the  style  of  deceiving  and  hooking  fish 
that  dry-fly  and  wet-fly  anglers  .  .  .  assuming  both  to  be 
good  sportsmen  .  .  .  can  much  differ.  In  nearly  all  other 
fly-fishing  matters  they  must  naturally  be  at  one." 

"It  has  already  been  said  that  the  dry-fly  is  quite  out  of  place 
in  many  trout  streams." 

"The  dry-fly  streams,  though  they  have  increased  of  late  years, 
are  still  and  ever  must  be  in  a  decided  minority." 

"The  dry-fly  angler  is  not,  as  a  rule,  a  very  early  riser.  He  can 
do  nothing  without  natural  fly,  and  in  my  experience  there  are  very 
few  duns  or  other  water-flies  out  till  nine  or  even  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning." 

What  Mr.  Dewar  says,  in  the  main,  applies  equally 
well  to  the  conditions  found  in  this  country  so  far  as  dry- 
fly  fishable  waters  are  concerned. 

As  to  the  time  of  fishing  that  is  governed  to  a  great 
extent  by  the  fact  that  in  England  the  angler  "fishes  the 
riser  while  in  America  the  angler  "fishes  the  stream!* 

These  are  true  statements  made  by  Mr.  Dewar,  and 
just  as  soon  as  the  dry-fly  anglers  and  writers  of  this  coun- 
try realize  such  is  -the  case  and  quit  their  manifestly  un- 
fair attitude  toward  the  wet-fly  angler  their  standing  in 
the  angling  world  will  be  decidedly  improved  from  what 
it  is  at  the  present  time. 

Because  the  fly-fishing  conditions,  as  well  as  the  trout, 
of  England  are  so  different  from  those  found  in  this  coun- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

try,  one  can  understand  why  the  dry-fly  anglers  there  may 
be  absolutely  correct  when  speaking  about  certain 
methods  used  by  wet-fly  men. 

On  the  other  hand,  one  cannot  understand  how  the 
American  dry-fly  anglers  can  make  the  statements  they  do 
unless  they  simply  voice  their  English  cousins'  views,  hav- 
ing no  real  knowledge  of  their  own. 

For  instance,  Mr.  Dewar,  who  is  an  exceptionally  fair 
writer  in  what  he  has  to  say  about  the  wet-fly  angler,  makes 
several  statements  that  do  not  apply  to  wet-fly  fishing  in 
this  country  at  all,  and  to  which  every  good  sportsman  and 
angler  who  uses  the  wet-fly  method  very  properly  and  em- 
phatically objects. 

I  refer  to  such  statements  as  these : 

"As  a  rule  he"  (the  wet-fly  angler)  "fishes  down  or  across 
stream,  and  does  not  strike  till  he  feels  his  fish." 

"It  is  the  aim  of  the  wet-fly  angler,  as  we  have  seen,  to  make 
his  flies  sink  below  the  surface.     ..." 

"It  might  not  be  too  much  to  say  that  it  is  no  more  satisfaction 
to  him"  (the  wet-fly  angler)  "to  hook  and  land  a  particular  feeding 
fish  than  to  hook  in  a  rough  bit  of  water  a  fish  of  whose  existence, 
till  the  tug  on  the  line  came,  he  knew  nothing." 

I  do  not  believe  the  anglers  of  this  country,  the  fair- 
minded-sportsmen,  be  they  wet  or  dry-fly  exponents  of  the 
two  different  methods,  will  ever  tolerate  such  statements 
as  these  made  by  dry-fly  writers,  especially  when  such  a 
noted  and  experienced  angler  as  Henry  P.  Wells,  who 
was  an  expert  wet-fly  angler,  states  as  follows,  speaking 
about  striking  trout. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"Not  that  the  angler  is  to  rely  in  the  SLIGHTEST  DE- 
GREE  ON  FEELING  THE  FISH;  his  eye,  and  his  eye  alone, 
is  his  guide." 

Has  it  come  to  pass  that  the  dry-fly  angler  shall  not 
only  determine  everything  about  his  own  method  but 
shall,  as  well,  decide  what  are  the  usual  and  customary 
methods  of  the  wet-fly  angler? 

I,  for  one,  think  not,  and  say  .  .  .  Mr.  Dry-Fly 
Man,  you  will  have  to  call  several  more  witnesses  other 
than  those  of  your  own  ilk,  even  to  make  out  a  case  (much 
less  get  a  verdict  from  any  jury  of  real  American  sports- 
men) to  the  effect  that  the  dry-fly  method  of  fly-fishing 
is  more  scientific,  more  comprehensive  and  more  skilful 
than  the  wet-fly  method,  as  applied  by  the  best  exponents 
of  the  art. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  the  merits  of  the  wet 
and  the  dry-fly  are  being  considered  and  the  two  methods 
of  fly-fishing  are  being  compared,  that  the  real  success 
attained  by  the  dry-fly,  both  in  England  and  America,  has 
been  with  the  Brown  Trout  (Salmo-fario)  and  not  the 
Brook  Trout  (Salvelinus-fontinalis). 

The  marked  difference  between  the  Brown  Trout  and 
the  Brook  Trout  in  their  habits  and  manner  of  feeding 
accounts  in  a  great  measure  for  this  fact.  And  it  is  still 
further  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  Brown  Trout  can 
live  in  water  where  Brook  Trout  cannot,  and  they  will 
thrive  in  water  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees  warmer  than 
water  in  which  the  Brook  Trout  can  barely  exist. 

The  Brown  Trout  will  rise  to  flies  on  streams  and  lakes 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

on  bright,  clear,  warm  days,  when  the  temperature  of  the 
water  is  at  sixty  degrees  and  over ;  while  under  these  con- 
ditions the  Brook  Trout,  in  order  to  live,  seeks  the  coolest 
of  places,  such  as  under  banks,  in  deep  sheltered  pools 
and  in  the  shadows  of  large  rocks  and  boulders,  where 
they  will  remain  inactive  until  the  temperature  of  the 
water  falls  to  55  degrees  and  below. 

It  is  a  fact  that  at  such  times  the  dry-fly  method  is  suc- 
cessful, and  at  its  best,  and  that  the  wet-fly  method  is  least 
successful,  and  at  its  poorest ;  but  how  do  these  facts  alone 
prove  anything  about  the  real  merits  of  the  two  methods? 

Certainly  all  that  they  prove  at  most  is  that  Brown 
Trout,  under  the  conditions  named,  will  rise  to  a  fly  when 
the  Brook  Trout  will  not. 

The  dry-fly  method  of  fishing  for  trout  is  a  great  art, 
but  up  to  this  time  neither  on  paper  nor  by  practical  dem- 
onstration, I  make  so  bold  to  say,  has  it  been  proven  to  be 
the  superior  to  the  wet-fly  method. 


74 


CHAPTER   IV 
THE    FLY-ROD    AND    ITS   FUNCTION 

Up  to  within  a  comparatively  few  years,  or,  to  be  more 
exact,  to  the  advent  of  the  American  dry-fly  purist,  the 
angling  fraternity  was  composed  of  big-hearted,  nature- 
loving  sportsmen,  who  respected  their  brother  anglers* 
views  even  if  they  did  not  entirely  agree  with  all  of  them. 

It  is  different  now  since  the  dry-fly  fishermen  have  be- 
come writers,  because  a  discordant  element  has  thereby 
entered  the  once  peaceful  angling  fraternity;  but  let  us 
hope  that  time,  "which  cures  many  ills,''  will  very  nearly, 
if  not  entirely,  restore  the  old-time  feeling  of  respect,  tol- 
erance and  courtesy  that  one  angler  had  for  another. 

In  order  that  the  beginners  at  fly-fishing,  who  are  to 
form  the  coming  generation  of  anglers,  may  have  in  mind 
just  the  kind  of  thing  to  avoid  in  the  future  I  am  going 
to  call  their  attention  to  what  a  well-known  dry-fly  angler 
has  written  about  the  views  of  a  wet-fly  angler  and  leave 
it  to  them  and  experienced  anglers  to  determine  later 
whether  or  not  the  above  statement  is  warranted. 

Let  us  consider,  for  instance,  a  subject  in  which  all 
fly-fishermen  should  be  interested  and  compare  what  an 
old-time  wet-fly  angler  and  a  modern  dry-fly  angler  have 
to  say  about  the  fly-rod  and  its  function. 

IS 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

I  quote  from  Dr.  James  A.  Henshall's  book,  entitled 
"Favorite  Fish  and  Fishing,"  in  which  he  states  his  opin- 
ion of  "the  proper  function  of  the  rod."    (Pages  71-72.) 

"The  essential  and  most  important  office  of  a  rod  is  that  which 
is  exhibited  after  the  fish  is  hooked;  ...  in  other  words,  in 
the  playing  and  landing  of  the  fish." 

"In  practical  angling  the  act  of  casting,  either  with  fly  or  bait, 
is  preliminary  and  subordinate  to  the  real  uses  of  a  rod." 

"The  poorest  fly-rod  made  will  cast  a  fly  thirty  or  forty  feet, 
which  is  about  as  far  as  called  for  in  ordinary  angling." 

^'But  it  is  the  continuous  spring  and  yielding  resistance  of  the 
bent  rod,  constantly  maintained,  that  not  only  tires  out  the  fish,  but 
protects  the  weak  snell  or  leader  from  breakage,  and  prevents  a 
weak  hold  of  the  hook  from  giving  way;  and  this  is  the  proper 
function  of  a  rod." 

In  contradistinction  to  what  Dr.  Henshall  says  about 
a  rod,  I  now  quote  from  the  first  chapter  of  Mr.  George 
M.  L.  La  Branche's  book,  entitled  "The  Dry-Fly  in 
America,"  as  follows : 

"The  man  who  believes  this  will  never  become  an  accom- 
plished fly-fisherman,  nor  will  he,  if  he  does  not  realize  that  the 
great  essential  to  success  lies  in  placing  the  fly  lightly  and  ac- 
curately." 

"/«  plain  words,  the  reader  is  told  that  the  proper  function  of 
a  rod  lies  in  the  power  which  it  gives  the  angler  to  kill  fish,  or,  at 
the  least,  in  enabling  him  to  handle  his  fish  with  a  minimum  risk 
of  loss." 

"I  MAINTAIN  THAT  Dr.  HENSHALL'S  PRINCIPLE  IS  WRONG  BE- 
CAUSE IT  PRESUPPOSES  A  DESIRE  UPON  THE  PART  OF  THE  ANGLER  TO 
POSSESS  FISH,  .  .  .  AND  SURELY  THE  DESIRE  OF  POSSESSION 
ALONE  CANNOT  CALL  SO  MANY  TO  THE  BROOKSIDE!" 

"Even  in  wet-fly  fishing  it  is  at  all  times  necessary  to  cast  deli- 
cately and  accurately,  and  while  this  may  be  done  with  a  soft  rod 

76 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

by  an  expert,  the  command  over  line  and  fly  in  no  way  compares 
with  the  facility  with  which  they  may  be  handled  on  the  more 
powerful  rod." 

'^Either  through  lack  of  experience  or  lack  of  confidence  in 
their  own  opinion  .  .  .  if  they  have  had  any  on  the  point 
.  .  .  many  latter-day  writers  have  echoed  Dr.  Henshall's  state- 
ment .  .  .  in  some  cases,  word  for  word  .  .  .  with  the 
result  that  their  readers  have  been  misguided  in  their  selection  of 
rods." 

"Is  it  wrong  to  assume  that  the  advantage  gained  over  the  fish 
by  using  a  rod  which  relieves  the  light  gut  leader  of  strain  may  be 
safely  abandoned  in  favor  of  the  rod  which  enables  the  angler  to 
place  his  fly  with  more  delicacy  and  precision,  even  though  he  risk 
a  smash  in  hooking,  or  after,  because  of  its  stiffness?" 

Compare  now  what  Dr.  Henshall  has  to  say  about  the 
fly-rod  and  its  function  with  what  Mr.  La  Branche  has 
to  say  upon  the  subject  and  then,  after  carefully  consid- 
ering the  words  of  each,  draw  your  own  conclusions, 
which  later  verify  by  experience. 


I  trust  and  believe  that  I  am  correct  when  I  assume 
that  both  Dr.  Henshall  and  Mr.  La  Branche  speak  from 
the  same  standpoint  .  .  .  fly-rods  in  general  use  for 
wet  or  dry-fly  fishing.  I  also  assume  that  both  deem  suc- 
cessful trout  fishing  with  the  artificial  fly,  using  either 
method,  to  mean  the  ability  to  make  the  trout  rise,  to  hook, 
to  play  and  to  land  them. 

This,  however,  does  not  mean  the  killing  of  trout. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Before  going  any  further  with  the  subject,  I  wish  to 
call  the  reader's  attention  to  what,  in  my  judgment,  is  a 
fact,  namely,  that  fly-rods  vary  just  as  much  as  do  anglers, 
and  that  fly-rods  have  to  be  fitted  to  the  anglers,  not  the 
anglers  to  the  fly-rods,  in  order  to  achieve  any  kind  of 
success  at  fly-fishing. 


Dr.  Henshall  maintains  that  the  proper  function  of 
a  rod  (that  is,  its  most  important  office)  is  brought  into 
use  in  playing  and  finally  landing  a  fish  after  it  is  hooked. 

Mr.  La  Branche,  on  the  other  hand,  maintains  that 
the  most  important  function  of  the  rod  is  to  cast  the  fly 
lightly  and  accurately  upon  the  water. 

Here  then  we  have  a  direct  issue  as  to  the  real  func- 
tion of  the  fly-rod,  and  also  as  to  the  proper  kind  of  rod 
to  use. 

You  will  remember  that  Dr.  Henshall,  in  what  he  has 
to  say  about  a  fly-rod  and  its  most  important  function,  does 
not  mention  one  word  about  a  "soft"  or  "powerful"  rod, 
but  confines  himself  to  the  action  of  the  rod  in  service 
and  what  a  good  rod  should  accomplish  if  properly  used. 


Let  us  consider  just  what  it  is  Mr.  La  Branche  has  to 
say,  how  he  says  it  and  the  meaning  he  wishes  to  convey 
to  his  readers. 

First — ^That  anyone  who  believes   Dr.  Henshall  can  "never 
become  an  accomplished  fly  fisherman." 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Does  not  this  statement,  if  it  means  anything,  mean 
that,  irrespective  of  the  method,  wet  or  dry,  no  angler 
who  uses  such  a  rod  as  Dr.  Henshall  describes  can  ever 
become  an  accomplished  fly  fisherman? 

It  may  be  possible  that  Mr.  La  Branche  has  some  spe- 
cial or  peculiar  meaning  for  the  word  "accomplished," 
but  I  understand  the  meaning  of  the  word  to  be,  "hav- 
ing completed,  effected,  or  finished  some  given  thing," 
and  that  an  accomplished  angler  or  fly  fisherman  is  one 
who  has  carried  the  art  of  fly-fishing  with  light  tackle  and 
the  artificial  fly  to  the  desired  end,  that  of  catching  game 
fish. 

Certainly  an  angler  who  cannot  catch  fish  is  not  an 
accomplished  fly  fisherman,  and  one  who  can  catch  them 
with  any  kind  of  rod  must  be  called  accomplished,  and 
the  poorer  the  rod  used  the  greater  must  be  the  accom- 
lishment. 

A  bald  statement  is  one  thing,  a  fact  quite  another, 
and  in  this  instance  the  fact  is,  that  there  are  many  accom- 
plished fly  fishermen  all  over  the  world  who  agree  with 
Dr.  Henshall  about  the  function  of  the  fly-rod  as  well  as 
many  expert  fly-rod  makers. 

Second — That  the  reader  is  told  "in  plain  words"  that  the 
function  of  a  rod  is  in  the  power  "it  gives  the  angler  to  kill  fish." 

In  all  fairness  and  truthfulness  I  ask  where  is  there 
anything  in  what  Dr.  Henshall  has  said  about  a  fly-rod 
that  can  be  distorted  into  meaning,  or  even  implying,  what 
Mr.  La  Branche  so  boldly  asserts? 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Where  are  the  words,  *'in  plain  words T  or  any  other 
kind  of  words  which  Dr.  Henshall  has  written,  which  say 
the  function  of  a  rod  is  in  the  power  "/V  gives  the  angler 
to  kill  fish"f 

What  motive  was  it  that  called  forth  such  a  statement, 
and  what  spirit  was  it  that  prompted  these  words  which 
have  not  one  letter  of  truth  in  them? 

Statements  that  are  false  on  their  face  require  no  re- 
futing— they  condemn  themselves. 

Third — That  "at  the  least"  it  enables  the  angler  "to  handle 
his  fish  with  a  minimum  risk  of  loss." 

The  rod  the  Doctor  describes  does  enable  the  angler 
to  cast,  strike,  hook,  play  and  land  his  fish,  if  handled  in  a 
scientific  and  skilful  manner,  so  as  to  save  or  protect  the 
leader  and  snell  and  also  to  land  the  fish  that  is  lightly 
hooked,  all  due  to  the  action  of  the  rod;  but  it  does  not 
mean,  without  skill,  "to  handle  his  fish  with  a  minimum 
risk  of  loss."  Far  from  it,  as  all  experienced  fly-fisher- 
men know  to  their  sorrow  and  from  sad,  sad  experience. 

Fourth — "I  maintain  that  Dr.  Henshall's  principle  is  wrong, 
because  it  presupposes  a  desire  upon  the  part  of  the  angler  to  pos- 
sess fish,  .  .  .  and  surely  the  desire  of  possession  alone  cannot 
call  so  many  to  the  brooksidel" 

Conceive,  if  you  can,  a  supposedly  experienced  angler 
making  such  a  statement  in  the  first  place  and  then  ask 
yourself  if  it  is  possible  for  any  sane  fly-fisherman  in  the 
second  place  to  take  any  stock  in  it. 

80 


1    Ay 


l^' 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Consider  the  point  of  view  carefully,  digest  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words  presupposes  and  possess  as  they  are  used, 
determine  the  idea  their  author  wished  to  convey  and  then 
ask  yourself  if  there  is  anything  in  what  Dr.  Henshall 
says  about  a  fly-rod  that  would  warrant  such  an  unsports- 
manlike statement. 

If  I  am  not  in  error  as  to  the  correct  meaning  of  the 
word  presupposes,  he  who  presupposes  has  to  assume 
something  in  advance  without  actual  knowledge  or  ex- 
perience. On  that  account,  to  maintain  that  a  principle 
is  wrong  would  seem,  to  say  the  least,  quite  far-fetched, 
and  also  it  would  seem  to  be  quite  within  reason  and  com- 
mon sense  for  no  one  to  believe  it. 

These  are  the  words,  "to  possess  fish"  .  .  .  but 
why  was  the  word  possess  selected  instead  of  the  word 
catch? 

To  possess  means  to  have,  to  hold,  and  in  the  angling 
world  it  means  to  kill,  while  to  catch  means  quite  another 
thing,  namely,  to  land  your  fish  and  then  return  it  imme- 
diately, unharmed,  to  the  water. 

Can  there  be  any  mistake  about  the  sense  in  which  this 
word  possess  is  used  when  it  is  immediately  followed  by 
the  word  :/>o J j^jj/o// in  this  manner?  .  .  .  "and  surely 
the  desire  of  possession  alone  cannot  call  so  many  to  the 
brookside  !'* 

The  long  and  short  of  it  is  that  Mr.  La  Branche  more 
than  plainly  implies  that  all  anglers  who  use  such  a  rod 
as  Dr.  Henshall  describes  are  simply  desirous  of  killing, 
not  catching,  game  fish  with  the  fly. 

8i 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

As  there  is  absolutely  nothing  in  what  Dr.  Henshall 
says  about  a  fly-rod,  not  an  iota  of  anything,  that  could 
in  all  fairness  have  called  forth  such  a  suggestion  as  cul- 
minates in  this  expression  of  opinion,  what  was  it,  then, 
that  prompted  it?  The  reader  must  draw  his  own  conclu- 
sion. 

It  requires  something  more  than  a  mere  statement  of 
opinion  based  solely  upon  an  assumption  to  disprove  a 
principle,  and  surely  some  reasonable  presentation  of 
facts  to  convince  experienced  anglers  that  Dr.  Henshall 
is  wrong. 

Fifth — That  a  "soft"  rod  is  not  as  good  as  a  "more  powerful 
rod." 

Now  we  are  informed  that  a  "soft''  rod  is  not  as  good 
as  a  "more  powerful  rod,"  and  this  is  a  fact  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  a  "soft"  rod  is  one  that  is  very  willowy,  or 
flexible  to  a  degree,  and  lacks  the  important  feature  of 
resilience,  while  a  "more  powerful  rod"  is  one  that  has 
this  essential  characteristic  to  a  marked  degree. 

But  no  one  save  Mr.  La  Branche  has  mentioned  either 
kind  of  rod;  surely  Dr.  Henshall  has  not  done  so,  and 
the  rod  he  does  mention  most  certainly  could  not,  by  any 
stretch  of  the  imagination,  be  called  "soft." 

Let  us  again  see  just  what  it  is  that  Dr.  Henshall  has 
to  say  about  the  fly-rod: 

''//  is  the  continuous  spring  and  yielding  resistance  of  the  bent 
rod,  constantly  maintained,  that  not  only  tires  out  the  fish,  but  pro- 
tects the  weak  snell  or  leader  from  breakage,  and  prevents  a  weak 

82 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

hold  of  the  hook  from  giving  way,  and  this  is  the  proper  function 
of  a  rod." 


This  fly-rod  that  Dr.  Henshall  describes  has  "continu- 
ous spring  and  yielding  resistance  .  .  .  constantly 
maintained."  Now  what  do  these  words  mean?  They 
mean  to  my  mind,  and  I  believe  that  I  voice  the  view  of 
Dr.  Henshall  as  well  as  many  experienced  fly-fishermen, 
that  this  rod  has,  first,  resistance  which  is  constantly  main- 
tained; second,  it  has  the  quality  known  as  yielding  resist- 
ance,  and,  third,  on  account  of  the  yielding  resistance,  it 
has  a  continuous  spring  under  strain.  In  other  words, 
it  is  a  "resilient"  rod,  not  in  any  sense  a  "soft"  rod. 

The  degree  of  resilience  that  any  fly-rod  should  possess 
must  necessarily  be  determined  by  the  angler  who  is  going 
to  use  it,  for  he  alone  can  tell  whether  or  not  it  suits  his 
physical  make-up  and  ability. 

Sixth — "Either  through  lack  of  experience  or  lack  of  confi- 
dence in  their  own  opinion  ...  if  they  have  had  any  on  the 
point  .  .  .  many  latter-day  writers  have  echoed  Dr.  Hen- 
shall's  statement  ...  in  some  cases,  word  for  word  .  .  . 
with  the  result  that  their  readers  have  been  misguided  in  their 
selection  of  rods." 

And  this  is  the  way  Mr.  La  Branche  slurs  at  those 
who  have  had  the  audacity  to  believe  the  same  way  about 
fly-rods  as  does  Dr.  Henshall: 

"...  many  latter-day  writers  have  echoed  Dr.  Henshall's 
statement.    ..." 

83 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

It  seems  there  have  been  many  writers  (for  has  not 
La  Branche  said  so)  who  have  agreed  with  the  Doctor  and 
some  have  even  gone  so  far  as  to  echo  his  views  "word 
for  word."  Yet  all,  each  and  every  mother's  son  of  these 
"many  latter-day  writers"  is  wrong,  because  "either 
through  lack  of  experience  or  lack  of  confidence  in  their 
own  opinion  ...  if  they  ever  had  any  on  the  point," 
they  believed  in  the  truth  of  what  a  learned,  experienced 
and  justly  noted  angler  has  said  about  "the  proper  func- 
tion of  a  rod." 

Of  course  it  is  possible,  judging  from  the  way  Mr.  La 
Branche  writes,  that  even  he  and  some  of  the  "readers"  he 
speaks  of  may  have  been  "misguided,"  not  by  what  these 
"latter-day  writers"  have  written,  but  by  the  way  their 
writings  have  been  interpreted. 

It  is  also  quite  possible  that  they  have  paid  more  at- 
tention to  fly-casting  than  fly-fishing,  and  their  experience 
has  been  limited  to  few,  not  many  kinds  of  trout  waters 
and  that  the  casting  of  a  long  line  when  fly-fishing  was 
their  pleasure. 

Seventh — "Is  it  wrong  to  assume  that  the  advantage  gained 
over  the  fish  by  using  a  rod  which  relieves  the  light  gut  leader  of 
strain  may  be  safely  abandoned  in  favor  of  the  rod  which  enables 
the  angler  to  place  his  fly  with  more  delicacy  and  precision,  even 
though  he  risk  a  smash  in  hooking,  or  after,  because  of  its  stiff- 
ness?" 

To  this  question  of  Mr.  La  Branche's,  I  answer  that 
in  my  judgment  it  is  decidedly  wrong  to  assume  any  such 
false  hypothesis,  for  the  following  reasons : 

84 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  ultimate  aim  of  fishing  is  to  catch  fish,  indepen- 
dent of  the  method  employed,  whether  it  be  by  bait,  troll- 
ing or  fly-fishing.  As  I  have  already  said,  the  catching  of 
game  fish  on  the  fly,  however,  does  not  mean  the  killing 
of  fish,  as  is  usually  the  case  with  the  two  other  methods. 
Anyone  who  claims  that  the  object  of  fly-fishing  is  not  to 
catch  fish  is  not  a  fly  fisherman. 

The  act  of  placing  a  fly  delicately  and  accurately  de- 
pends more  upon  the  skill  of  the  angler  than  upon  the 
kind  of  rod,  assuredly  such  is  the  fact  so  far  as  the  two 
mentioned  rods  are  concerned. 

The  degree  of  delicacy  and  accuracy  required  is  de- 
termined first,  by  the  method  used,  the  wet  or  the  dry,  and, 
second,  by  the  conditions  under  which  the  angler  has  to 
fish.  For  if  an  angler  always  fishes  the  same  way  for  the 
different  species  of  trout  found  in  the  many  different  kinds 
of  fishable  water  he  will  have  but  little  success,  and  could 
not  properly  be  called  a  good  fly  fisherman. 

The  Doctor's  rod  does  not  relieve  the  leader  of  "strain" 
in  the  way  Mr.  La  Branche  would  seem  to  imply,  it  simply 
relieves  it  of  "undue  strain,' '  thereby  giving  the  angler  a 
chance  to  display  his  skill  instead  of  mere  strength. 

If  light  gut  leaders  are  smashed  when  striking  a  trout, 
or  afterward,  assuming  that  they  are  made  from  suitable 
high-grade  material,  it  is  because  the  angler  is  a  poor  fish- 
erman, or  the  rod  does  not  suit  the  angler,  or  the  rod  is  too 
powerful;  and  generally  the  smashing  is  due  to  the  last- 
named  cause. 

85 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

When  a  light  gut  leader  is  used,  naturally  it  is  for  a 
purpose.  If  the  leader  is  smashed  when  a  trout  is  struck, 
it  then  follows  either  the  leader  was  too  light  or  the  rod 
was  too  powerful,  and  that  the  angler  was  fishing  with  an 
unbalanced  equipment  for  his  ability,  which  is  contrary 
to  skilful  fly-fishing. 

The  angler  who  persists  in  the  use  of  a  rod  which  is  so 
stiff  or  powerful  that  there  is  always  a  risk  of  smashing 
the  leader,  either  in  hooking  or  playing  a  fish,  is  not  a  fly- 
fisherman  per  se,  but  a  fly-caster  to  whom  the  leader  means 
nothing  and  the  fine  art  of  fly-fishing  is  unknown. 

The  skilful  and  good  fly  fisherman  is  one  who  always 
has  a  well-balanced  equipment,  consisting  of  rod,  reel, 
line,  leader  and  fly,  all  of  which  go  to  make  up  a  well-pro- 
portioned whole  so  far  as  strength  and  balance  are  con- 
cerned; but  when  the  rod  is  so  stiff  or  so  powerful  that  it 
repeatedly  breaks  leaders,  although  it  may  be  a  "fine  cast- 
ing one,"  it  is  out  of  place,  and  should  be  discarded,  if  fly- 
fishing, not  fly-casting,  is  to  be  practiced. 

Take  such  a  rod  as  Dr.  Henshall  describes,  and  take 
another  rod  such  as  Mr.  La  Branche  mentions,  use  leaders 
of  the  same  kind  on  each.  Now,  if  the  leader  in  each  case 
does  not  break  when  a  strike  is  made  and  a  fish  is  well 
hooked,  the  greater  advantage  is  gained  by  the  stiffer  or 
"more  powerful"  rod,  and  not  by  the  more  pliable  one, 
because  with  the  former  the  fish  can  be  tired  out  and 
brought  to  the  landing  net  very  much  quicker  than  with 

the  latter. 

86 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

If  Mr.  La  Branche  had  said  that  he  preferred  a  stiff 
or  powerful  rod  for  fly-fishing,  or  that  the  proper  rod  in 
his  opinion  to  use  for  dry-fly  fishing  was  such  a  rod,  owing 
to  the  great  amount  of  work  placed  upon  it  when  making 
many  false  casts  between  regular  ones,  no  angler  would 
take  an  exception  for  a  moment,  because  it  is  unquestion- 
ably his  right  to  fish  as  he  pleases. 

But  when  he  takes  such  an  arrogant  attitude  as  he  does 
toward  Dr.  HenshalFs  views  about  the  fly-rod  and  its  func- 
tion without  differentiating  as  to  the  methods  of  fly-fish- 
ing, the  fishable  waters  and  the  governing  conditions,  it 
seems  to  me,  in  all  fairness,  that  one  is  more  than  war- 
ranted in  making  a  strong  protest. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  this  same  spirit  seems  to  be  in 
the  blood  of  a  number  of  fly-casters  and  dry-fly  fishermen, 
but  let  us  hope  that  in  time  they  may,  to  some  extent  on  ac- 
count of  a  fuller  experience  and  a  greater  knowledge,  be- 
come inoculated  with  "the  milk  of  human  kindness"  and 
develop  "the  true  angler's  spirit." 


CHAPTER  V 
FOR   THE    BEGINNER   AT   FLY-FISHING 

Much  has  been  written  about  both  methods  of  trout 
fly-fishing,  the  wet  and  the  dry.  Some  has  been  good, 
more  bad,  and  much  not  worth  considering.  On  that  ac- 
count, it  is  well  to  do  some  reasoning  for  yourself,  apply- 
ing your  own  good  common  sense  when  reading  many  of 
the  books  and  articles  published  upon  the  subject. 

To  the  beginner  at  trout  fly-fishing,  I  suggest  that  he 
first  learn  to  fish  with  the  wet-fly.  When  he  has  become 
proficient  with  this  method  take  up  the  dry-fly  method  of 
angling;  thus  he  will  find  the  art  of  fly-fishing  less  dis- 
couraging and  more  easily  acquired. 

After  both  methods  have  been  successfully  practiced 
he  will  be  able  to  derive  all  of  the  enjoyment  possible  out 
of  angling,  for  he  then  can  fly-fish  at  any  time  during  the 
open  season,  using  the  method  best  suited  to  the  waters 
he  has  the  good  fortune  to  fish. 

The  act  of  casting,  primarily,  is  mechanical;  there- 
fore it  follows  that  the  more  perfect  the  mechanism  em- 
ployed the  more  perfect  will  be  the  results  accomplished, 
provided  the  motive  force  is  properly  applied.  The  skill 
in  casting  is  the  ability  to  apply  the  motive  force  to  the 

88 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

mechanism  (the  rod,  line,  leader  and  fly)  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  produce  certain  desired  results,  remembering  that 
"like  causes  produce  like  effects.'* 

There  are  many  kinds  of  anglers,  but  all  anglers  are 
by  no  means  good  fly  fishermen,  even  though  they  may 
have  had  years  of  experience. 

It  is  on  this  account  that  many  writers  on  the  subject 
of  fly-fishing  have  taken  great  delight  in  dividing  the  fly- 
fishing fraternity  into  a  number  of  classes,  such  as  the 
practical  angler,  the  scientific  angler,  the  theoretical 
angler,  the  good  angler  and  the  poor  angler. 

This  division  into  classes  is  indeed  very  interesting, 
inasmuch  as  it  discloses  the  different  points  of  view  of  the 
different  writers ;  but  does  much  of  all  that  is  voiced  about 
the  classes  lead  to  any  logical  conclusion  that  is  at  all 
convincing? 

Fly  fishermen  can  be  divided  and  subdivided  into  as 
many  classes  as  there  are  fishermen,  but  what  possible 
benefit  will  thus  accrue  to  the  beginner,  who  is  looking 
for  something  tangible  to  aid  him  in  the  "Art  of  Fly-Fish- 
ing"? 

There  are,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  just  two  real  classes  of 
fly  fishermen,  the  good  and  the  bad,  which,  in  other  words, 
means  the  successful  and  the  unsuccessful  fishermen. 

The  successful  angler  is  at  one  and  the  same  time  the 
practical,  the  scientific  and  good  fly  fisherman,  while  the 
unsuccessful  angler  is  the  theoretical,  the  thoughtless  and 
the  bad  fly  fisherman;  the  one  has  "fish  sense,"  and  the 
other  has  none  at  all. 

89 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Success  in  fly-fishing  means  just  one  thing,  and  only- 
one  thing,  and  that  is  the  angler's  ability  to  catch,  not 
needlessly  kill,  game  fish  with  light  tackle  and  the  arti- 
ficial fly;  and  it  really  matters  not  at  all  to  which  class 
such  an  angler  is  said  to  belong  by  any  writer  on  the  sub- 
ject, including  myself. 

The  all-important  point  to  consider  is  how  the  begin- 
ner can  become  a  successful  angler  instead  of  an  unsuc- 
cessful one. 

To  every  beginner  in  the  art  of  fly-fishing,  I  say,  that 
he  can  become  a  successful  angler  with  patience  and  per- 
severance, provided  he  has  or  can  develop  what  is  termed 
"fish  sense,"  and  to  a  certain  degree  "mechanical  sense," 
but  in  no  other  way. 

At  the  outset  the  beginner  should  be  very  careful  to 
differentiate  between  the  art  of  fly-fishing  and  the  art  of 
fly-casting,  otherwise  much  will  have  to  be  unlearned  be- 
fore the  goal  of  the  successful  angler  is  attained. 

By  this  I  do  not  wish  to  imply  for  a  moment  that  good 
fly-casting  is  not  a  very  important  requirement  in  the  art 
of  fly-fishing,  because  it  is  of  great  importance,  but  I  am 
desirous  of  impressing  upon  the  beginner  that  the  casting 
of  the  wet-fly  is  not  all  there  is  to  this  method  of  fly-fishing. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem  to  many  beginners,  the  fact  still 
remains  that  good  tournament  casters  are  seldom  success- 
ful fly  fishermen,  and  the  very  few  who  are  only  go  to 
prove  the  rule. 

Samuel  G.  Camp,  in  his  book  entitled  "The  Fine  Art 
of  Fishing,"  says  on  pages  65  and  66  as  follows : 

90 


Q 

o 

w 

o 

o 
w 

CO 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"The  manner  in  which  the  flies  are  fished  distinguishes  the  fly 
fisherman  from  the  mere  fly-caster,  whether  or  no  the  fly-caster,  as 
such,  be  expert  or  otherwise." 

Every  beginner,  first  of  all,  should  have  the  proper 
tools  with  which  to  work,  then  he  should  learn  how  to  use 
them,  and  he  should  constantly  observe  and  study  the  re- 
quirements and  conditions  incident  to  their  use,  as  well 
as  the  habits  of  the  fish. 

That  the  art  of  fly-fishing  cannot  be  learned  from  any 
book  is  indeed  true,  but  the  scientific  principles  involved 
can  be,  provided  they  are  clearly  set  forth,  and  they  will 
be  of  exceptionable  advantage  to  any  beginner  or  even 
an  old-timer,  if  fully  understood. 

Every  person  who  understands  the  scientific  reasons 
for  doing  a  given  thing  will,  as  a  general  rule,  become 
more  proficient  in  less  time  with  less  practice  than  one 
who  does  not  understand  them,  and  the  results  desired 
will  be  necessarily  more  quickly  attained. 

Every  successful  fly  fisherman  is  individual  in  his 
methods  of  fishing,  yet  the  principles  involved  always  re- 
main the  same,  irrespective  of  all  methods. 

The  principle  is  one  thing,  the  results  looked  for  by 
applying  a  principle  are  quite  another  thing,  and  the  most 
important  thing  of  all  is  the  development  of  a  method  that 
will  best  apply  the  principle  and  at  the  same  time  be  pro- 
ductive of  good  results. 

This,  then,  is  where  the  individuality  of  the  angler 
comes  into  play,  and  it  is  this  feature  which  cannot  be 
learned  from  books,  because  it  is  only  by  long  or  seem- 

91 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

ingly  long  practice,  that  a  successful  method  of  applying 
the  principle  can  be  fully  acquired. 

To  become  a  successful  angler  one  must  be  patient  to  a 
marked  degree  under  many  trying  and  disheartening  cir- 
cumstances, such  as  broken  tackle,  snarled  leaders, 
snapped-off  flies,  an  overshot  line,  a  leaky  boat  or  canoe, 
the  mistakes  of  a  guide  or  companion,  a  ducking,  the  loss 
of  a  big  fish,  the  utter  indifference  of  the  fish,  and  a  thou- 
sand and  one  other  "ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to." 

Next  to  having  patience  one  must  have,  or  acquire,  a 
phlegmatic  temperament,  because  nervousness  plays  no 
part  in  the  art  of  fly-fishing,  as  no  great  amount  of  suc- 
cess will  ever  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  nervous  fisherman. 

For  the  beginner  it  may  be  well  to  state  what  consti- 
tutes a  nervous  fisherman.  He  is  the  fisherman,  who,  hav- 
ing had  a  rise  and  failing  to  strike  and  hook  his  fish,  im- 
mediately and  hurriedly  casts  again,  with  the  usual  result 
that  he  either  gets  his  line  or  leader,  or  both,  "hung  up** 
on  the  backward  or  forward  cast,  if  he  is  fishing  on  a 
stream,  or  he  hammers  the  water  with  the  line  if  he  is  fish- 
ing from  a  boat  or  canoe  on  still  water.  In  each  case  the 
net  result  is  no  rise  and  no  fish. 

Nerves  are  again  shown  by  the  stream  fisherman,  who, 
having  cast  over  a  likely  pool  two,  three  or  four  times  with- 
out having  a  rise,  starts  for  the  next  inviting  pool  to  do  the 
same  thing  over  again. 

Then  again  nerves  come  to  the  front  when  from  a 
boat  or  canoe  the  fisherman  casts  and  gets  a  rise  and  fails 
to  hook  his  fish,  but  just  pricks  him  with  the  point  of  the 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

hook.  He  then  casts  so  quickly  and  with  so  little  judg- 
ment that  the  fly  or  flies  land  on  the  water  with  a  "dull 
sickening  thud,"  or  else  the  line  strikes  the  water  well  in 
advance  of  the  flies. 

It  is  indeed  unfortunate  that  all  lovers  of  the  art  of 
fly-fishing  could  not,  within  reason,  be  able  to  own  a  first- 
class  fishing  outfit.  If  such  were  the  case  much  of  the 
cheap  and  useless  tackle  would  not  be  manufactured  and 
placed  upon  the  market  to  deceive  unsuspecting  begin- 
ners and  others  as  each  succeeding  season  comes  around. 

It  is  possible  to-day  to  obtain  a  very  good  fly-fishing 
equipment  which  is  not  very  expensive,  serviceable  on 
brook,  stream  or  lake  and  it  consists  of  the  following 
articles : 


Article 


Number 


Kind 


Cost 


Rod (i) 

Reel (i) 

Line (i) 

Leaders (6) 

Flies (36) 

Leader  Box (i) 

Fly  Book- (i) 

Fly  Box (i) 


Hexagonal,  Split  Bamboo $15.00 

Single-Action  Click 3.50 

Tapered  or  Flat  Enameled 4.25 

Silkworm  Gut 2.50 

Snelled  Hooks 4.50 

Copper-Nickeled  i.oo 

Leather 2.00 

Copper-Nickeled i.oo 


Creel  ( i )     Wicker  or  Canvas 1.50 

Landing  Net ( i )     With  Rubber  Cord 1.50 


Total  cost  of  equipment $36.75 


It  is  mistaken  economy  to  buy  cheap  tackle  of  any 
kind,  and  especially  so  for  fly-fishing;  first,  because  it 
costs  the  angler  more  in  the  long  run  than  does  high- 

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grade  tackle;  second,  because  it  is  a  source  of  constant 
annoyance  and  suspicion. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  do  not  advise  any  beginner  at 
the  art  of  angling,  even  though  he  has  plenty  of  money, 
to  buy  a  fancy  kit,  because  at  best  it  is  only  a  "pretty  play- 
thing," but  to  confine  himself  to  a  good  quality  of  tackle 
free  from  frills  and  made  by  reputable  concerns. 

When  about  to  purchase  a  fly-fishing  equipment  for 
the  first  time  it  is  advisable  to  ask  some  good  angler  friend 
if  he  will  help  you  in  making  the  selection. 

Having  obtained  an  equipment,  then  ask  this  same 
friend  at  some  convenient  time  to  show  you  how  to  set 
up  the  rod,  reel,  line,  leader  and  flies  and  how  to  care 
for  them. 

After  you  have  become  familiar  with  the  equipment, 
again  press  your  friend  into  service  and  ask  him  to  take 
you  out  on  some  good  fishable  water  and  give  you  a  few 
pointers  and  so  start  you  on  the  right  road. 

Fish  as  often  as  you  can  with  and  without  your  friend, 
and  observe  carefully  the  reasons  for  your  success  and 
lack  of  success,  but  never  fish  after  you  are  tired,  for  if 
you  do  you  will  go  backward  and  not  forward  in  acquir- 
ing the  art  of  fly-fishing. 

Do  not  allow  yourself  to  get  discouraged,  remember 
that  only  by  patience  and  perseverance  can  success  be 
attained,  and  always  take  good  care  of  your  equipment,  for 
one  that  is  worth  having  is  certainly  worth  receiving  the 
best  of  care. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

How  to  Hold  and  Grip  a  Fly -Rod: 

The  first  thing  a  beginner  has  to  learn  about  a  fly-rod 
is  how  to  hold  and  grip  the  handle,  and  so  far  as  this  fea- 
ture is  concerned,  it  does  not  permit  of  any  deviation  from 
the  set  rule. 

The  proper  way  to  hold  the  rod  is  with  the  reel  seat 
and  line  guides  on  the  under  side  of  the  rod  and  the  rod 
handle  should  be  firmly  grasped  in  the  casting  hand  with 
the  thumb  straight  out  and  resting  on  the  handle. 

The  reason  for  this  is  because  the  angler  is  given  the 
greatest  possible  command  over  the  rod  under  all  condi- 
tions, such  as,  in  casting,  in  fishing  the  flies  and  in  play- 
ing the  fish. 

With  the  thumb  around  the  handle  the  ability  of  the 
angler  to  control  the  rod  is  materially  lessened  because 
the  thumb  then  ceases  to  act  as  a  brace.  This  fact  is  very 
apparent  when  the  forward  or  backward  cast  is  made ;  so 
try  it  and  find  out  for  yourself  whether  or  not  the  thumb 
really  acts  as  a  brace  and  a  very  efficient  one  at  all  times. 

How  to  "Set  Up"  a  Fly-Rod: 

After  taking  the  rod  from  its  form  or  case,  carefully 
wipe  off,  with  a  slightly  oily  rag,  the  metal  end  of  the  tip 
and  middle  joint,  being  sure  not  to  leave  any  visible  oil. 

Then,  by  holding  both  the  tip  and  middle  joint  so  that 
the  line  guides  are  on  top,  insert  the  metal  end  on  the  tip 
joint  in  the  ferrule  of  the  middle  joint,  being  careful  to 
see  that  the  parts  are  well  seated. 

Now  go  through  the  same  operation  with  the  middle 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

and  butt  joint,  and  after  this  is  done  the  rod  is  ready  to  be 
whipped  backward  and  forward  a  few  times  as  in  the  act 
of  casting;  then,  if  the  joints  are  tight,  proceed  to  attach 
the  reel. 

How  to  Place  the  Reel  on  a  Fly-Rod: 

There  are  two  ways  of  placing  the  reel  on  a  rod,  one 
is  to  have  the  handle  of  the  reel,  when  the  rod  is  held  for 
casting,  on  the  right  side.  The  other  way  is  to  have  the 
handle  of  the  reel  on  the  left  side. 

The  first  way  is  by  far  the  better  way  to  place  the  reel, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  some  anglers  prefer  and  use 
the  second  way. 

It  is,  however,  something  that  must  be  determined  by 
each  angler  for  himself. 

If  the  first  way  is  used,  remember  that  the  reel  handle 
should  always  be  placed  so  that  it  will  point  away  from 
the  angler's  body  to  the  side.  If  he  is  right-handed,  then 
the  handle  should  be  to  the  right,  if  he  is  left-handed,  then 
the  handle  should  be  to  the  left. 

The  reasons  for  so  placing  the  reel  are  threefold,  first, 
tangling  or  catching  of  the  line  on  the  reel  handle  is 
avoided  when  the  line  is  being  cast,  retrieved  or  paid-out ; 
second,  it  does  away  with  turning  the  rod  and  trying  to 
balance  the  reel  on  top  of  the  rod  handle,  if  for  any  rea- 
son the  angler  wishes  to  reel  up  the  line  or  play  a  hooked 
fish  on  the  reel ;  third,  the  reel  handle  can  be  immediately 
and  naturally  put  into  commission  by  simply  transferring 

96 


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ui 
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u 

IE 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  rod  from  the  right  to  the  left  hand,  or  vice  versa  if  the 
angler  is  left-handed. 

Having  securely  fastened  the  reel  in  the  reel  seat  of 
the  rod  the  next  thing  to  consider  is  the  line. 

How  to  Handle  the  Line: 

Strip  off  about  a  yard  or  two  of  the  line  from  the 
reel,  being  sure  that  it  passes  from  the  reel  between  the 
first  and  second  cross  bar.  Now  pass  the  end  of  the  line 
through  all  of  the  guides  on  the  rod,  including  the  tip 
guide  ring  by  stripping  more  line  from  the  reel. 

After  this  is  done,  pull  through  the  tip  guide  at  least 
line  enough  to  reach  to  the  handle  of  the  rod,  otherwise 
the  line  will  slip  back  through  the  guides  and  the  work 
will  all  have  to  be  done  over  again. 

Be  very  careful  at  all  times  not  to  step  on  the  line  or 
kink  it,  especially  if  the  line  is  of  an  American  make,  for 
it  will  injure  it  by  cracking  or  rubbing  off  the  enameling. 

How  to  Attach  the  Leader  to  the  Line: 

The  next  move  is  the  attaching  of  the  leader  to  the 
line,  which  can  be  done  by  one  of  a  number  of  knots,  all 
of  them  rather  simple  and  effective. 

There  are  three  knots  in  general  use,  known  as  the 
tiller-hitch  knot,  the  closed  tiller-hitch  knot  and  the  jam 
knot. 

The  simplest  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  most  effective 
knot,  as  well  as  one  much  used,  is  the  tiller-hitch  knot. 

It  can  be  tied  very  small  and,  in  my  experience,  I  have 

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never  known  it  to  give  way  or  come  loose,  but  I  have  been 
told  by  a  few  anglers  that  they  know  of  some  cases  where 
it  has.  They  add,  however,  that  they  believe  the  fault 
was  due  to  the  way  the  knot  was  tied. 

This  knot  has  one  advantage  over  all  the  others,  in  this 
respect,  that  it  can  be  easily  and  quickly  untied  or  released 
by  simply  pulling  on  the  short  free  end  of  the  line. 

The  closed  tiller-hitch  knot  is  a  great  favorite  with 
many  salmon  fishermen,  and  it  is  used  by  some  trout  fish- 
ermen as  well.  This  knot  is  made  by  first  making  the 
tiller-hitch  knot  with  a  slightly  longer  end  of  the  line  left 
free,  this  end  is  then  passed  through  the  loop  of  the  knot 
and  pulled  tight  and  cut  off. 

How  the  Flies  are  Attached  to  the  Leader: 

Snelled  flies  are  attached  to  a  leader  by  the  loop  at 
the  end  of  the  snell  and  the  loop  on  the  leader  by  placing 
the  snell  loop  over  the  leader  loop  and  then  passing  the 
fly  and  the  snell  through  the  leader  loop,  the  loops  are 
then  pulled  tight. 

Eyed  flies  are  attached  to  a  leader  without  any  loops, 
the  straight  end  of  the  leader  being  passed  through  the 
eye  of  the  fly  and  tied  with  a  turle  knot  or  a  jam  knot. 


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CHAPTER  VI 

THE  ROD,  THE  REEL,  THE  LINE,  THE  LEADER 

AND    THE    FLY 

The  Rod: 

The  best  and  most  serviceable  fly-rod,  from  every 
standpoint,  is  probably  one  made  of  split  bamboo,  and  this 
seems  to  be  almost  the  universal  opinion  of  experienced 
anglers  all  over  the  world. 

The  value  of  a  split  bamboo  fly-rod  depends  upon  the 
quality  of  bamboo  cane  out  of  which  it  is  made  and  the 
workmanship  that  is  put  into  its  making. 

The  strength  and  resilience  of  the  rod  depend  upon 
the  fineness  and  thickness  of  the  enameling  on  the  cane, 
together  with  the  number  of  silk  windings. 

A  split  bamboo  rod  should  be  made  of  six  pieces,  hex- 
agonal in  cross-section,  and  when  one  is  being  selected  its 
length  and  weight  should  depend,  first,  upon  the  angler^s 
development  and  natural  physical  capabilities;  second, 
upon  the  kind  of  water  most  generally  to  be  fished,  and, 
third,  upon  the  amount  of  fishing  to  be  done. 

A  round  rod  is  not  as  good  nor  as  strong  as  one  hex- 
agonal in  form.  This  is  necessarily  the  case,  because  to 
make  a  round  rod  some  of  the  enameling  has  to  be  cut 

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away,  and  this  loss  of  material,  which  means  loss  of 
strength,  cannot  fully  be  made  up  by  increasing  the  num- 
ber of  silk  windings. 

There  is  a  natural  curvature  to  each  of  the  six  cane 
strips  of  bamboo  which  go  to  make  the  finished  hex- 
agonal rod,  because  the  strips  are  cut  from  a  bamboo  stalk 
that  is  circular  in  form,  but  the  degree  of  curvature  is 
very  slight  as  compared  to  the  curvature  of  the  six  small 
strips  when  they  are  made  into  a  round  rod. 

In  making  a  round  rod  each  one  of  the  separate  strips 
is  weakened  in  two  places  by  cutting  away  the  enameling 
to  make  the  rod  round.  As  there  are  six  strips  it  follows 
there  must  be  twelve  weakened  places,  which  are  reduced 
to  six  in  the  finished  rod,  because  the  strips  are  all  ce- 
mented together ;  but  the  degree  of  weakness  remains  the 
same. 

Bamboo  cane,  other  than  the  outside  shell,  which  is 
the  enameled  part,  absorbs  moisture  readily  and  rapidly, 
owing  to  its  porous  nature.  For  this  reason  a  round  rod 
requires  considerably  more  attention  to  keep  it  in  good 
condition  than  does  the  hexagonal  one,  on  account  of  the 
weakening  of  the  enameling,  where  it  has  been  cut  away. 

This  is  especially  true  when  the  round  rod  is  used  in 
rainy  and  damp  weather,  because  if  the  varnishing  is 
cracked  or  chipped  off,  moisture  will  work  into  the  seams 
and  deterioration  of  the  rod  will  follow,  unless  it  is  very 
thoroughly  wiped  off,  placed  in  a  dry  atmosphere  and 
later  properly  revarnished. 

A  round  rod  will  also  warp  and  twist  and  lose  its  re- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

silience  much  quicker  than  will  an  hexagonal  rod  even  if 
equally  well  made  in  the  first  instance. 

The  weakest  points,  in  all  rods,  are  the  metal  joints. 
On  that  account  they  should  be  of  drawn  tubing  well  made 
and  snugly  fitted. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  male  and  fe- 
male parts  of  the  joint  seat  securely;  that  is,  the  end  of  the 
male  part  when  inserted  in  the  female  part  should  not  only 
touch  the  end  of  the  bamboo  of  the  rod,  but  it  should  also 
enter  far  enough  so  that  it  will  come  up  to  the  shoulder 
on  the  male  part. 

If  this  is  properly  done  the  length  of  the  metal  joints 
can  be  materially  shortened  without  detriment  to  the  rod. 

All  rods  which  are  made  proportionately  flexible  or 
bending  from  the  tip  to  the  handle  of  the  butt  joint  are 
less  liable  to  break  at  the  joints  because  the  strain  exerted 
upon  them  is  considerably  less  than  is  the  case  with  rods 
having  a  stiff  butt  joint. 

A  good  hand-made  split  bamboo  fly-rod,  hexagonal 
in  form,  is  worth  a  dozen  so-called  "equally  as  good'*  rods 
that  are  machine-made;  first,  because  the  quality  of  the 
material  in  the  machine-made  rod  is  lacking,  and,  second, 
because  the  workmanship  is  vastly  inferior. 

The  weight  of  a  fly-rod  depends  largely  upon  its  length, 
but  there  is  always  a  sufficient  leeway  so  that  any  angler 
can  select  a  rod  that  is  naturally  well  balanced  for  length 
and  weight  to  suit  his  particular  or  peculiar  requirements. 

The  selection  of  a  fly-rod  is  not  to  be  lightly  made ;  it 
is  a  matter,  rather,  that  should  be  given  careful  thought  if 

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the  purchaser  expects  to  secure  a  rod  that  will  prove  even 
passably  satisfactory. 

By  all  means  avoid  rods  with  fancy  windings,  and 
under  no  circumstances  purchase  a  rod  that  has  not  a 
solid,  well-made  cork  handle. 

When  selecting  a  fly-rod  let  it  be  a  hand-made  one, 
either  nine  feet  six  inches  or  ten  feet  long,  with  bronze 
snake  guides  and  a  skeleton  reel  seat,  and  do  not  pay  less 
than  fifteen  dollars  for  such  a  rod  if  you  really  want  to 
get  a  good  one. 

After  selecting  a  rod  you  will  find  it  will  be  worth 
many  times  the  cost  if  you  have  an  agate  tip  ring  guide 
and  an  agate  butt  ring  guide  put  upon  the  rod  in  place  of 
the  metal  guides  already  there. 

This  substitution  of  agate  guides  will  make  your  line 
last  longer  and  keep  it  in  better  condition,  as  well  as  make 
casting  and  the  playing  of  a  fish  much  easier,  especially 
when  a  fish  is  lightly  hooked  or  when  fishing  in  the  rain 
or  when  fishing  on  a  fast  running  turbulent  stream. 

Having  once  fished  with  these  two  agate  guides  on 
your  rod  you  probably  will  never  again  have  any  other 
kind  on  rods  used  for  fly-fishing. 

"The  proof  of  the  pudding  is  in  the  eating." 

Good  hand-made  fly-rods  are  usually  carried  in  stock 
by  a  number  of  reputable  tackle  concerns  in  nearly  all 
large  cities;  they  range  from  eight  feet  and  six  inches  to 
ten  feet  in  length,  and  from  three  and  one-half  ounces  to 
six  and  one-half  ounces  in  weight. 

Fly-rods  other  than  split  bamboo  are  to  be  had,  and 

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are  also  carried  in  stock  by  the  dealers.  They  are  made  of 
bethabara,  lancewood  and  greenheart,  and  there  are  a 
number  of  different  makes  of  steel  rods  on  the  market ;  but 
I  would  not  advise  using  any  of  them  for  fly-fishing,  as  my 
experience  has  convinced  me  of  their  inferiority  to  split 
bamboo. 

The  chief  reason  for  this  opinion  of  these  rods  is  based 
upon  their  inability  to  "stand  up"  under  constant  use  and 
retain  their  shape  and  resilience. 

The  relative  length,  weight  and  strength  of  hexagonal  split  bam- 
boo rods 


Length  of 

Weight  of 

Maximum  Strain 

Rod  in 

Rod  in 

of  Rod 

Feet 

Ounces 

in 

Pounds-Pull  * 

8j^ 

3V2  to  4>4 

y2  to  ^ 

9 

3^  to  4>^ 

y2  to  % 

9>^ 

4      to  5 

y2  to  ly^ 

lO 

4^  to  6% 

y  to  ly 

*Note — By  Maximum  Strain  in  Pounds-Pull  is  meant  the 
dead  weight  which  the  rods  will  stand  without  injury  in  an  emer- 
gency. 

The  Reel: 

It  has  been  often  stated  by  writers  on  fly-fishing  that 
the  reel  is  the  least  important  feature  of  the  angler's  equip- 
ment because  its  function  is  limited  to  the  mere  holding 
of  the  line;  this,  however,  is  not  a  correct  nor  true  state- 
ment. 

The  reel  has  two  separate  and  distinct  functions;  one 

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is  to  hold  the  line,  the  other  to  balance  the  rod  and  line ; 
and  while  these  two  functions  cannot  well  be  compared 
as  to  their  importance,  the  proper  balance  of  the  rod  is  a 
most  essential  element  to  be  considered. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  reels,  but  the  only  proper  one 
for  fly-fishing  is  the  single  action  click  reel,  with  or  with- 
out the  click  release.  As  to  the  release  it  is  for  each  angler 
to  decide  for  himself  whether  he  wishes  it  or  not. 

All  good  tackle  stores  have  many  patterns  and  styles 
of  such  reels  from  which  the  angler  may  choose,  and  it  is 
for  him  to  select  the  kind  that  he  likes  best,  provided  al- 
ways that  it  is  one,  in  size  and  weight,  suitable  for  his  rod. 

Too  much  pains  cannot  be  taken  in  selecting  the  reel 
that  will  give  to  the  rod  that  proper  balance  which  enables 
the  angler  to  cast  for  hours  without  experiencing  fatigue 
or  soreness  of  wrist. 

In  selecting  the  proper  reel  for  weight  most  beginners, 
as  well  as  not  a  few  experienced  anglers,  make  the  mis- 
take of  choosing  too  light  a  reel,  with  the  result  that  the 
proper  balance  of  the  rod  is  almost  entirely  lost.  This 
loss  of  balance  becomes  apparent  by  the  tiring  of  the 
wrist  after  casting  for  a  comparatively  short  time,  but  the 
real  cause  of  the  trouble,  however,  is  most  generally  over- 
looked. 

No  absolutely  set  rule  for  securing  the  proper  balance 
of  the  rod  and  reel  can  be  given,  because  every  angler 
has  his  own  peculiarities  with  which  to  contend,  due  to 
physical  conditions,  such  as  strength  of  wrist,  length  of 
fingers  and  forearm  and  temperament.     Therefore  the 

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angler  must  choose  for  himself  the  reel  that  seems  to  him 
to  give  the  proper  balance  and  then  learn  from  experience 
if  the  combination  of  rod  and  reel  selected  is  the  right 
one,  all  things  considered,  for  him  to  use. 

When  selecting  a  reel  for  the  first  time  it  is  really  neces- 
sary, to  obtain  the  best  results,  to  fit  the  reel  to  the  rod 
upon  which  it  is  to  be  used,  otherwise  it  will  be  simply  a 
case  of  "good  luck''  if  any  reasonable  kind  of  a  balance 
is  obtained. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  a  growing  tendency  to  use 
lighter  rods  than  those  formerly  in  vogue,  and  on  this 
account  reels  have  been  selected  that  were  altogether  too 
light  in  weight  to  make  a  proper  balance. 

For  some  reason  or  other  the  feeling  seems  to  have 
taken  hold  of  anglers  that  "a  light  rod  necessarily  should 
have  a  very  light  reel,"  and  while  a  light  rod  should  have 
a  lighter  reel  than  a  heavy  rod  the  idea  has  been  carried 
too  far,  with  a  result  most  disappointing  in  many  cases. 

The  angler  who  is  persistent  and  who  likes  to  fish  for 
many  hours  day  after  day,  must  soon  learn  the  combina- 
tion of  rod  and  reel  that  will  give  him  the  desired  balance 
to  prevent  fatigue  in  his  wrist,  if  he  is  to  get  all  the  pleasure 
out  of  fly-fishing. 

Having  talked  with  many  experienced  and  successful 
anglers  as  to  the  balance  of  rod  and  reel,  and  finding  that 
their  views  were  quite  in  accord  with  my  own,  I  suggest 
to  the  beginner  and  others  that  they  first  start  with  the  idea 
that  the  reel,  without  the  line,  should  weigh  at  least  one 
and  one-half  times  more  than  the  rod  and  let  the  basis  be 

105 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

a  7>4-ounce  reel  for  a  5-ounce  rod.  As  the  weight  of  rod 
decreases  or  increases  some  deviation  must  be  allowed  to 
meet  the  change  in  weight  and  the  individual  require- 
ments of  the  angler. 

Speaking  of  what  weight  of  reel  to  use  on  Fly-Rods 
it  is  interesting  to  note  what  one  writer  has  to  say  upon 
the  subject. 

**Of  course,  always,  the  reel  for  a  fly  rod  should  be  light,  can- 
not well  be  too  light,  though  it  should  be  large  enough  to  spool 
fifty  yards  of  line." 

This  statement  that  a  reel  to  be  used  on  a  fly-rod 
"should  be  light,  cannot  well  be  too  light,"  so  long  as  it 
"be  large  enough  to  spool  fifty  yards  of  line,"  is  funda- 
mentally wrong  in  principle,  although  in  some  cases  it 
may  suit  the  taste  of  a  few  anglers  here  and  there. 

This  must  necessarily  be  the  case  from  a  scientific 
standpoint,  because  the  greater  the  weight  of  the  rod,  line 
and  leader  forward  of  the  casting  hand,  not  balanced  by 
the  weight  of  the  rod,  reel  and  line  back  of  the  casting 
hand,  the  greater  must  be  the  strain  placed  upon  the  wrist 
of  the  caster.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  weight  is  added 
to  the  longer  part  of  the  rod  which  acts  as  a  long  lever 
with  the  hand  as  a  fulcrum  without  sufficient  weight  back 
of  the  fulcrum  point  or  hand  to  make  a  balance. 

If  the  reel  used  is  as  light  or  lighter  than  the  rod,  then 
the  rod  is  unbalanced  in  increasing  proportion  as  the 
reel  used  decreases  in  weight  and  moves  the  balance  point 

106 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

toward  the  tip  end  of  the  rod  and  away  from  the  handle 
end  of  the  rod. 

From  my  experience  and  experiments  with  many  dif- 
ferent makes  of  split  bamboo  fly-rods  (I  use  no  other 
kind),  I  have  reached  the  conclusion,  after  many  years, 
that  the  proper  balance  for  any  fly-rod  can  be  very  nearly 
obtained,  as  a  general  proposition,  by  using  a  reel  which, 
without  the  line,  weighs,  as  I  have  already  stated,  one  and 
one-half  times  the  weight  of  the  rod,  and  this  is  irrespective 
of  the  length  of  the  rod. 

It  is  well  worth  any  angler's  time  to  give  this  subject 
some  little  attention  for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  if  he 
has  really  as  well  balanced  a  rod  as  he  ought  to  have  if  he 
does  any  amount  of  fly-fishing. 

As  an  experiment  it  is  very  interesting  to  learn  what 
a  vast  difference  the  proper  weight  of  reel  makes  in  the 
handling  of  a  rod  without  fatigue,  and  what  a  great  dif- 
ference it  makes  in  the  casting  of  a  fly. 

For  instance,  take  a  five-ounce  rod  and  try  casting, 
first  with  a  reel  that  weighs  four  ounces,  then  with  a  reel 
that  weighs  five  ounces  (the  weight  of  the  rod) ;  now 
follow  with  a  reel  that  weighs  six  ounces  and  finally  try 
a  reel  that  weighs  seven  and  one-half  ounces  or  one  and 
one-half  times  the  weight  of  the  rod. 

Having  made  this  experiment,  the  chances  are  that 
you  will  never  again  use  a  reel  that  does  not  weigh  more 
than  the  rod  and  probably  you  will  elect  to  use  a  reel  about 
the  weight  I  have  mentioned. 

The  weight  of  reel  suggested  as  the  proper  one  to 

107 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

use,  on  first  thought  and  before  you  have  made  any  tests, 
may  seem  to  be  too  heavy,  because  the  combined  weight 
of  the  rod,  reel  and  line  will  amount  fully  to  13 >4  ounces 
if  the  line  is  D  or  E  size  and  forty  yards  in  length. 

It  may  also  strike  the  angler  who  has  been  in  the  habit 
of  using  a  four-ounce,  or  possibly  a  lighter,  reel  on  a 
five-ounce  rod  that  the  additional  weight  will  tire  the 
wrist  and  hand.  Such,  however,  will  be  found  not  to  be 
the  case  upon  actual  trial,  because  it  is  not  the  weight 
that  causes  the  trouble,  but  the  lack  of  balance  due  to 
the  improper  distribution  of  the  weight. 

Tabulation  Showing  the  Proper  Weight  of  Reel  to  Use 
with  Certain  Weight  and  Length  of  Fly-Rods. 


Length 
of  Rod 
in  Feet 

Weight 

of  Rod 

in  Ounces. 

Weight 
^  of  Reel 
in  Ounces. 

Weight  of 

Rod  and  Reel 

in  Ounces. 

Size 

of 

Line. 

8'-6" 

3 
3J^ 

4J^ 

7^ 

G 

F 

q'-o'' 

3^ 
4 

6 

10 

F 

-/   ^    

F-E 

q'.6" 

4 

4}^ 
4M 
5 

6 

rVs 

10 

12}^ 

F-E 
E-F 

y    ^    

E 
D 

lo'-o" 

4^ 

5 

SH 

bH 

6 

7H 

9 

123^ 

13M 

14 

15 

E 
E 
D 
D 
D 
D 

108 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Average  balance  point  from  end  of  butt. 

For    8'  6"  Rod 12!/^  inches. 

For    9'  o"  Rod 13      inches. 

For    9'  6"  Rod 133^  inches. 

For  10'  o"  Rod 14)^  inches. 


Actual  Data  About  the  Balance  of  Fly-Rods 

Maker  of  Rods,  Dame,  Stoddard  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 
(High-Grade  Fly-Rods,  Chapman  Pattern) 
Point  of  Balance  with  Different  Reels 


Length  of  Rod . 


Weight  of  Rod. 


Weight  of  Reels, 
Ounces. 


3 

3^ 
4 
43^ 

5 

5J^ 

6 

63^ 
7 

73^ 
8 


914  Feet. 


33^  Ounces. 


Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 


153^ 
13 


gH  Feet. 


4}/2  Ounces. 


Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 


193^ 

17 

153^ 

3/ 


13^ 


10  Feet. 


5  Ounces. 


Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 


21 

20 


^4 
173^ 

IS 
143^ 

14 


10  Feet. 


5^  Ounces. 


Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 


22% 
21M 
213^ 
2034 

9^ 


'4 

6M 


Point  of  balance  without  reel  from  end  of  butt. 

Rod   93^  feet,  33^  ounces 29     inches. 

Rod    93^  feet,  4)^  ounces 313^  inches. 

Rod  10     feet,  5     ounces 333^  inches. 

Rod  10     feet,  5^  ounces 343^  inches. 

109 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Actual  Data  About  the  Balance  of  Fly-Rods 

Maker  of  Rods,  Thomas,  Bangor,  Maine 

(One  of  the  very  best  Fly-Rods  made) 

Point  of  Balance  with  Different  Reels 


Length  of  Rod 

9  Feet. 

93^  Feet. 

10  Feet. 

Weight  of  Rod 

33^^  Ounces. 

4  Ounces. 

5  Ounces. 

Weight  of  Reels, 
Ounces. 

Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 

Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 

Balancing 

Point  from 

End  of  Rod, 

Inches. 

3      

17% 
i6% 

15% 

13% 

13% 
123^ 

18% 

17^ 
16}^ 

15% 

14% 

14% 

13^ 

13 

12% 

22 

^Vo 

21 

J  /  £i 

4     

20 

aVo 

19 

18 

5     

tX/o 

17% 

i63^ 

15% 

15^ 

14% 
I4>^ 

6     

(M 

7     

^Vo 

8     

Point  of  balance  without  reel  from  end  of  butt. 

Rod    9     feet,  -^/i  ounces 31      inches. 

Rod    93^  feet,  4     ounces 313^  inches. 

Rod  10     feet,  5      ounces 34^^  inches. 

The  Line: 

There  are  many  kinds  of  American  and  English-made 
fly-casting  lines  on  the  market.  There  is  but  one  kind  of 
line,  however,  to  use  for  fly-fishing,  and  that  is  the  silk 
enameled  water-proofed  line,  and  it  may  be  either  tapered 
or  flat. 

no 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  tapered  line  gets  its  name  from  the  fact  the  line, 
for  a  distance  of  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  at  one  or  both  ends, 
grows  smaller  as  the  end  of  the  line  is  approached.  If 
only  one  end  is  tapered  it  is  called  a  "single  tapered  line," 
if  both  ends  are  tapered  it  is  known  as  a  "double  tapered 
line." 

The  flat  line  is  one  that  has  the  same  size  or  diameter 
throughout  its  entire  length. 

Mr.  Henry  P.  Wells  says:  "Nothing  in  reference  to 
fly-fishing  can  be  answered  with  such  ease  and  confidence 
as  the  question  what  line  should  be  used.  Unquestion- 
ably the  enameled  water-proofed  line,  and  no  other." 

There  are  six  regular  sizes  of  flat  enameled  lines  and 
three  regular  sizes  of  tapered  lines. 

Flat  Lines  Tapered  Lines 

Largest    C  =  No.  i 

eZno\^  ^''^''^     ^ 

F  — M  Medium     E 

r^~^?'  ^  Smallest    F 

Smallest  H  =  No.  6 

The  question,  "Which  is  the  better  line  to  use,  the 
tapered  or  flat?"  is  one  upon  which  anglers  differ,  some 
preferring  the  tapered,  while  others  just  as  strongly  ad- 
vocate the  flat  line.  To  my  mind,  every  angler  must 
settle  this  question  for  himself,  either  by  experience  or 
otherwise. 

When  "wet"  fly-fishing  I  have  found  there  is  no 
choice,  one  being  just  about  as  good  as  the  other,  while 

III 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

when  "dry"  fly-fishing  I  prefer  the  tapered  line  and  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  better  and  only  line  to  use. 

The  size  of  line  to  use  is  governed  largely  by  the 
length  and  weight  of  the  rod,  but  no  hard  and  fast  rule 
can  be  established  on  account  of  the  individual  taste  of 
the  angler  which,  after  all,  is  controlling.  Generally 
speaking,  the  following  flat  lines  and  rods  go  well  to- 
gether : 


Line 

Length  of  Rod  Weight  of  Rod 

Size  of  Line 

often  Used 

8'-6" 

3}^  ozs. 

G  or  H 

G 

9'-o" 

4      ozs. 

F    or   G 

F 

9'-6" 

4^  ozs. 

E    or    F 

E 

lo'-o" 

5      ozs. 

D   or   E 

E 

With  an  8^  and  9-foot  rod  use  an  F  tapered  line,  with 
a  9J^-foot  rod  use  an  E  tapered  line,  and  with  a  lo-foot 
rod  use  a  D  tapered  line. 

The  Leader: 

The  leader  is  the  connecting  link  between  the  line  and 
fly,  and  it  is  the  weakest  individual  member  of  the  fly 
fisherman's  equipment.  On  this  account,  therefore,  the 
selection  of  all  kinds  of  leaders  should  receive  the  greatest 
possible  consideration  in  order  that  only  good  ones  may 
be  obtained. 

Leaders  are  made  of  drawn  and  undrawn  silkworm 
gut ;  the  gut  comes  in  three  general  grades  known  as  fine, 
regular  and  heavy,  and  these  three  grades  are  sometimes 

112 


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CO 

Z 

u 

I 

I 

O 

% 

< 

CO 

u 
< 

h 
-1 
D 
Q 
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h 
D 
O 
oc 
h 
u 
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I 
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h 
u 
I 
h 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

subdivided  into  grades  called  extra  fine,  light  regular  and 
heavy  regular,  and  extra  heavy. 

As  most  good  tackle  stores  carry  a  large  assortment 
of  many  grades  of  leaders,  running  from  three  to  nine 
feet  in  length,  with  loops  for  one,  two,  and  three  flies,  de- 
pending upon  the  length,  it  is  not  difficult  to  find  leaders 
from  which  to  make  selection.  The  strength  of  leaders 
varies  according  to  the  grade;  fine  leaders  should  have  a 
strength  of  two  to  three  pounds,  medium  leaders  from 
three  to  four  pounds,  and  heavy  leaders  from  four  to  six 
pounds. 

Stock  leaders  can  usually  be  obtained  in  white,  mist, 
brown  and  black  in  color,  but  the  mist  color  is  the  one 
most  universally  used,  and  these  leaders  can  be  either 
tapered  or  flat. 

When  buying  or  making  a  leader  remember  that  its 
extreme  length  is  governed  by  the  length  of  the  rod  to 
be  used  and  on  that  account  the  longest  leader  should  be 
one  foot  shorter  than  the  rod.  If  the  leader  is  any  longer 
it  is  very  liable  to  be  pulled  through  the  end  tip  guide  of 
the  rod  when  playing  or  landing  a  large  fish  and  thus 
cause  trouble. 

The  strength  of  the  leader  to  use  depends  upon  the 
size  trout  you  expect  to  catch  and  the  kind  of  water  you 
intend  to  fish ;  as  a  starter,  however,  it  is  well  to  use  a  me- 
dium grade  leader  that  will  test  to  a  four  pounds  dead  pull 
when  wet;  you  can  then  land  any  trout  you  hook  so  far 
as  the  strength  of  the  leader  is  concerned. 

113 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

There  is  a  great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  what  force, 
or  pounds-pull,  a  trout  can  and  does  exert  upon  the  fly-fish- 
ing equipment;  and  for  that  reason  it  is  well  to  consider 
the  subject  at  some  length  in  order  to  arrive  at  a  logical 
not  speculative  conclusion. 

Let  us  assume  as  a  fair  basis  with  which  to  start  that 
trout  weighing  from  one  to  ten  pounds  possess  the  ability 
to  exert  the  same  proportionate  pounds-pull  according 

to  their  weight that  is a  one-pound 

trout  can  exert  a  one-pound  pull,  a  five-pound  trout  a  five- 
pound  pull  and  a  ten-pound  trout  a  ten-pound  pull. 

From  experiments  made  by  Henry  P.  Wells  and  men- 
tioned in  his  book,  entitled  "Fly-Rods  and  Fly-Tackle," 
under  the  chapter  on  leaders,  it  would  seem  as  if  this  as- 
sumption was  reasonably  correct  as  a  rule,  although  in 
some  instances  a  greater  pull  per  pound  of  weight  may 
be  exerted. 

My  own  experience  and  experiments  lead  me  to  be- 
lieve that  a  trout  can  exert  against  a  dead  resistance  a  pull 
equal  to  at  least  its  own  weight  in  still  water  and  a  consid- 
erably greater  pull  in  fast  running  water. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  is  the  pounds-pull 
that  can  be  exerted  by  a  trout  when  working  against  a 
dead  resistance,  not  the  pounds-pull  that  is  exerted  against 
a  yielding  resistance,  such  as  when  a  trout  is  being  played 
with  the  rod,  line  and  leader,  because  the  pounds-pull  ex- 
erted by  the  trout  at  that  time  will  be  materially  less,  due  to 
the  spring  of  the  rod. 

By  a  very  simple  and  at  the  same  time  interesting  ex- 

114 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

periment  any  angler  can  conclusively  prove  to  his  own  sat- 
isfaction that  there  is  really  a  vast  difference  in  the  pull 
of  a  trout  against  a  yielding  resistance  and  a  dead  resist- 
ance. 

Some  time  when  a  good-sized  trout  has  been  hooked 
and  after  it  has  been  played  for  a  short  time  in  the  usual 
manner,  which  represents  a  yielding  resistance,  straighten 
out  the  rod  so  that  the  pull  of  the  trout  will  come  directly 
upon  the  line,  which,  of  course,  is  held  fast  so  it  cannot 
pay  out,  and  you  will  then  have  the  trout  on  a  dead  resist- 
ance against  which  it  has  to  work.  It  will  then  be  very 
apparent  against  which  resistance  the  greater  pull  of 
the  trout  comes  and  why. 

If  you  should  have  the  good  fortune  to  hook  a  four- 
pound  trout,  unless  you  happen  to  have  a  very  strong 
leader  you  will  find  it  will  give  way  or  the  hook  will  pull 
out  when  the  trout  is  working  against  the  dead  resistance, 
while  when  working  against  the  yielding  resistance  the 
trout  can,  under  ordinary  conditions,  be  safely  landed. 

The  moral  then  is,  always  keep  the  trout  on  the  spring 
of  the  rod  and  make  him  fight  against  a  yielding  resist- 
ance if  you  wish  to  land  him. 

The  pull  exerted  by  a  trout  against  a  yielding  resist- 
ance varies  greatly  and  is  not  at  all  proportionate  to  its 
weight,  and  this  is  largely  due  to  the  action  of  the  trout 
when  being  played  and  held  on  the  spring  of  the  rod,  and 
the  way  the  trout  is  hooked  and  is  also  due  to  the  manner 
in  which  the  angler  does  the  playing. 

My  own  experience  is  that  a  trout  weighing  from  one 

115 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

and  a  half  to  two  and  one-half  pounds  exerts,  as  a  rule, 
a  proportionately  greater  pull  against  a  yielding  resist- 
ance than  does  a  trout  weighing  three  pounds  or  more 
and  that  it  requires  as  much  skill,  if  not  more,  to  play  and 
land  the  former  than  the  latter. 

I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that,  under  the  ordi- 
nary conditions  encountered  when  fly-fishing,  the  greatest 
pull  exerted  in  playing  a  trout,  weighing  up  to  seven 
pounds,  does  not  exceed  one  to  one  and  a  quarter  pounds 
and  rarely  does  the  pull  exceed  more  than  three-quarters 
of  a  pound. 

When  making  the  statement  that  in  my  opinion  a  trout 
weighing  from  one  to  seven  pounds  does  not  exert  a 
greater  pull  than  one  and  one-quarter  pounds,  it  must  be 
understood  that  if  the  trout  makes  a  sudden  rush  it  is  given 
line  so  as  to  offset  the  sudden  exerted  strain,  which  strain 
is  double  the  strain  exerted  by  a  steady  pull,  otherwise  the 
result  will  be  very  nearly  the  same  as  if  the  pull  was  ex- 
erted against  a  dead  resistance. 

The  experienced  angler  never  allows  a  pull  of  one 
and  one-quarter  pounds  to  come  on  his  rod  unless  he  is 
obliged  to  "give  the  butt  of  the  rod"  to  the  fish  to  force 
it  away  from  some  dangerous  place  or  snag.  He  gives 
the  trout  line  as  the  pull  increases  beyond  half  a  pound, 
which  he  can  both  feel  and  see  by  the  bend  of  the  rod. 

The  question  might  well  be  asked,  why  is  it  then  that 
leaders  having  a  known  strength  of  four  pounds  give 
way  when  big  trout  are  hooked  or  are  being  played  if 

ii6 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  pull  seldom  exceeds  one  to  one  and  one-quarter 
pounds? 

The  answer  is,  that  such  a  leader  in  the  hands  of  a 
skilful  angler  should  not  give  way  because,  if  it  does,  it 
is  on  account  of  some  error  of  judgment  on  his  part  or  the 
trout  has  taken  advantage  of  some  snag. 

These  errors  of  judgment  are  numerous,  but  the  prin- 
cipal ones  are,  first,  striking  the  trout  too  hard;  second, 
not  keeping  the  trout  on  the  spring  of  the  rod;  third,  in  not 
giving  the  trout  line  when  it  makes  a  sudden  rush,  and, 
fourth,  in  forcing  and  trying  to  land  a  trout  too  quickly. 

It  is  on  this  account  that  leaders  should  be  the  best 
procurable,  that  they  should  be  tested  each  day  before 
they  are  used,  that  they  should  be  tested  while  being  used, 
and  that  leaders,  as  soon  as  they  become  frayed,  should 
be  discarded  as  useless. 

Leaders  are  made  from  drawn  and  undrawn  silk- 
worm gut,  but  generally  from  drawn  gut,  and  sometimes 
they  are  made  from  both,  especially  for  "dry"  fly-fishing. 

Leaders  are  made  either  tapered  or  flat  for  "dry"  fly- 
fishing and  for  "wet"  fly-fishing  when  only  one  fly  is  used. 

"Wet"  fly  leaders  having  one  or  two  loops  are  seldom 
made  tapered,  unless  they  are  tied  up  by  the  angler  him- 
self. 

Trout  Leaders 

Grade — Fine,  Medium,  Heavy. 
Color — White,  Mist,  Brown. 
Length — 6  to  9  feet,  tapered  or  flat. 
Strength — 2  to  ^,  j  to  4,  4  to  6  pounds. 

117 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

A  tapered  leader  is  usually  made  up  of  three  different 
sizes  of  gut,  while  the  flat  leader  is  made  up  of  one-size 
gut. 

Length  of  Rod  Length  of  Leader 

8'-6"  7'-6"  or    90" 

9'-o"  8'-o"  or    96" 

9'-6"  8'-6"  or  102" 

lo'-o"  9'-o"  or  108" 

The  Fly: 

The  question  often  asked,  "What  are  the  best  flies  to 
use?"  is  complex  in  the  extreme,  because  so  many  con- 
ditions enter  into  a  correct  answer,  if  any  approximately 
correct  answer  can  be  given. 

After  fishing  for  many  years  with  the  "wet"  fly,  in  my 
opinion,  the  success  or  failure  of  any  fly  depends  pri- 
marily more  upon  the  angler  than  upon  the  fly  itself,  be- 
cause the  angler^s  method  of  playing  the  fly  either  upon 
or  under  the  surface  of  the  water  is  the  all-important 
factor. 

The  ability  and  individuality  of  the  angler,  therefore, 
determine,  to  a  remarkable  degree,  the  fly  that  will  prove 
successful  on  different  waters,  as  well  as  upon  the  same 
waters. 

For  instance,  take  two  experienced  anglers  when  fish- 
ing the  same  pool  (still  or  slow-running  water),  each 
angler  using  the  same  kind  and  size  of  fly,  and  let  the  fly 
be  a  Cow  Dung. 

Angler  A   catches   several   trout,   while  Angler  B 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

catches  none  during  the  same  period  of  time.  Is  this  the 
fault  of  the  fly  or  the  angler?  My  experience  leads  me 
to  believe  the  angler  is  at  fault,  not  the  fly.  Now  sup- 
pose we  change  the  fly  and  have  the  anglers  use  a  Par- 
machenee  Bell. 

With  the  Parmachenee  Bell  angler  B  catches  four 
trout  to  every  one  Angler  A  catches.  Thus,  with  different 
flies  different  anglers  have  different  results. 

This  is  not  an  assumed  case,  but  one  I  have  observed 
many  times  in  different  places,  after  suggesting  the  ex- 
periment be  made.  I  account  for  the  results  obtained  in 
this  way : 

Angler  A*s  manner  of  playing  the  fly  when  using  the 
Cow  Dung  was  more  attractive  to  the  trout  than  was  the 
same  fly  as  manipulated  by  Angler  B,  The  converse  of 
the  proposition  being  the  case  when  the  Parmachenee  Bell 
was  substituted. 

Here  were  two  entirely  different  flies  handled  by  two 
better  than  average  fly  fishermen,  each  of  whom,  had  he 
been  fishing  apart,  would  have  declared  that  the  other 
fellow's  fly  was  not  a  taking  one.  Yet  both  flies  proved 
successful  in  precisely  the  same  place  and  under  the  same 
conditions,  the  only  difference  being  the  individuality  of 
the  anglers. 

Another  uncertainty  in  selecting  the  most  successful 
"taking  flies"  is  the  fact  that  trout  do  not  always  want  or 
take  the  same  flies  every  day,  and  often  a  fly  that  has  been 
successful  one  season  will,  the  very  next  season,  prove  to 
be  a  decided  failure. 

119 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Then  again,  weather,  wind  and  water  conditions  also 
play  an  important  part,  as  well  as  the  time  of  day  the  fish- 
ing is  done,  the  latter  condition,  in  my  judgment,  how- 
ever, not  as  much  so  as  has  been  generally  supposed. 

Probably  next  to  the  ability  of  the  angler  to  play  the 
fly  comes  the  ability  of  the  angler  to  select  for  color  the 
fly  that  is  best  adapted  to  the  particular  kind  of  day  the 
fishing  is  done. 

How  many  flies,  one,  two  or  three,  shall  be  used  by  the 
angler  when  fishing  is  a  matter  he  must  determine  for 
himself.  As  this  is  a  point  about  which  anglers  differ, 
and  inasmuch  as  each  angler  can  do  as  he  pleases,  it  is  of 
very  little  moment  from  the  personal  standpoint. 

Experience  and  the  results  attained  are  after  all  the  real 
basis  upon  which  all  anglers  must  necessarily  rely  in  de- 
termining this  question  of  the  number  of  flies  to  use. 

When  I  was  a  beginner  at  fly-fishing  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  afterward  I  used  three  flies,  as  was  customary 
in  those  days.  Later  I  used  but  two,  and  sometimes  only 
one.  For  the  past  five  or  six  years  I  have  used  one  and 
two  flies  for  lake  fishing  and  some  large  streams,  and  one 
for  all  other  kinds  of  water. 

Judging  from  my  own  experience  and  the  experience 
of  many  angler  friends  I  would  suggest  that  the  best  suc- 
cess is  to  be  attained  by  the  use  of  not  more  than  two  flies 
at  any  time,  and  when  fishing  is  very  good  by  the  use  of  a 
single  fly. 

If  you  fish  with  one  fly  for  salmon,  one  fly  for  bass 

1 20 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

and  not  over  two  flies  for  trout  you  can  make  no  mistake 
and  will  have  greater  success  in  the  long  run. 

Buy  nothing  but  the  best  grade  of  flies  even  though 
you  have  fewer  in  number.  The  few  will  last  longer,  give 
better  satisfaction  and  do  better  work. 

Use  either  eyed  or  snelled  flies  as  your  fancy  happens 
to  be  since  one  is  about  as  good  as  the  other  as  a  general 
proposition  so  far  as  trout  fishing  is  concerned.  For  the 
beginner,  all  things  considered,  the  snelled  fly  is  the  bet- 
ter one  for  him  to  use,  and  the  only  kind  all  anglers  who 
fish  with  more  than  one  fly  should  employ. 

In  "dry"  fly-fishing  the  eyed  fly  is  the  only  one  to  use 
if  you  wish  to  follow  the  "code''  of  the  "purist"  and  be- 
come a  "disciple." 

When  selecting  "snelled  flies"  make  a  practice  of  test- 
ing every  snell,  first,  to  see  that  it  is  securely  fastened  to 
the  hook,  and,  second,  to  see  that  the  gut  of  the  snell  is 
free  from  imperfections.  This  will  save  your  feelings 
later  on  when  you  land  "the  big  fish"  instead  of  loosing 
him. 

That  trout  in  different  waters  will  at  times  take  some 
flies  more  readily  than  others  is  certainly  true ;  but  this  is 
largely  due  to  the  fact  that  when  trout  are  not  feeding  they 
insist  upon  having  a  fly  cast  to  them  that  is  especially  in- 
viting. 

I  have  often  noticed  that  beginners  who  have  had  the 
advantage  of  friendship  and  coaching  of  a  successful 
angler  after  acquiring  the  rudiments  of  fly-fishing,  nearly 

121 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

always  fall  into  the  habit  of  selecting  for  their  own  use 
the  flies  generally  fished  by  their  preceptor. 

This  is  not  strange,  yet  it  is  not  always  the  best  plan 
to  follow,  because  it  has  a  tendency  to  restrict  and  not  en- 
large those  pleasures  of  angling  which  mean  so  much  to 
the  true  sportsman. 


122 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE   HABITS   OF   TROUT 

It  would  indeed  be  a  very  wise  and  courageous  man 
who  would  undertake  to  set  forth  in  print,  to  any  great 
extent,  the  habits  of  the  wary  trout,  so  I  shall  only  attempt 
to  set  down  such  of  them  as  I  have  had  the  good  fortune 
to  observe  during  my  many  years  of  stream  and  lake 
fishing. 

Although  in  most  waters  the  principal  feeding  periods 
are  between  the  hours  of  five  and  eight  in  the  evening  and 
from  five  to  nine  or  ten  in  the  morning  it  is  undoubtedly 
true  that  trout  at  times,  no  matter  where  found,  will  feed 
at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night. 

This,  as  a  rule,  will  apply  to  every  day  of  the  open 
season;  but  there  are  days  when  it  is  misty,  or  slightly 
rainy,  overcast  or  cloud,  with  the  sun  obscured,  that  trout 
will  apparently  feed  during  the  entire  day  and  will  con- 
stantly rise  to  the  fly  that  is  properly  placed  before  them. 

Another  time  when  trout  are  all-day  feeders  is  after 
a  hard  rain,  when  the  water  is  somewhat  discolored  or 
roily,  and  is  rising  in  both  lake  and  stream.  Trout  nat- 
urally feed  at  this  time,  because  food  is  more  plentiful, 
being  washed  down  from  the  surrounding  uplands  and 
hills  by  the  thousand  and  one  rivulets  formed  by  the  rain. 

123 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Usually  this  condition  for  feeding  lasts  for  only  a 
day,  or  at  most  for  a  day  and  a  half,  and  when  this  period 
is  over  not  a  trout  can  be  induced  to  rise  to  the  most  en- 
ticing fly  cast  by  a  master  hand. 

As  a  general  proposition,  on  ordinary  days,  clear  or 
sun  shining,  fly-fishing  is  at  its  poorest  during  the  middle 
of  the  day,  or,  say,  from  eleven  in  the  morning  until  three 
in  the  afternoon.  Although  without  doubt  this  is  a  true 
statement  and  one  with  which  nearly  all  anglers  will  agree, 
nevertheless  during  these  hours  I  have  at  times,  both  on 
streams  and  lakes,  been  fortunate  enough  to  catch  many 
trout,  some  running  as  large  as  three  pounds.  Such  occa- 
sions, and  they  are  few,  are  the  exceptions  that  only  go  to 
prove  the  general  rule  that  fly-fishing  for  trout  in  the 
middle  of  the  day  is  of  little  use.  An  exception  may  pos- 
sibly be  made  for  Brown  Trout  in  shallow,  clear  stream.s 
when  natural  flies  are  abundant  and  the  "dry"-fly  is  used. 

It  also  proves  the  truth  of  the  statement  that  trout  "at 
times  feed  at  all  hours  of  the  day"  and  similar  experience 
on  moonlight  nights  has  proved  to  me  that  they  also  feed 
as  well  at  night. 

Of  all  fish  the  trout  probably  is  more  affected  by  its 
environment,  so  far  as  habits  and  coloration  are  con- 
cerned, than  any  other  kind  of  fish.  On  this  account  we 
must  expect  to  find  the  habits  of  trout  largely  governed 
by  their  habitat ;  that  is,  the  trout  of  streams  will  differ  in 
many  respects,  in  their  habits,  from  those  found  in  lakes 
or  still,  deep  water. 

All  trout  found  in  streams,  however,  do  not  have  the 

124 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

same  habits,  because  their  habitat  changes  in  every 
stream ;  so  much  so  that  it  is  a  very  conservative  statement 
to  make  that  in  streams  (not  small  brooks),  there  are  at 
least  three  well-defined  and  different  habitats  of  trout 
which  govern  their  habits  as  well  as  their  coloration. 

These  three  environments  are,  the  rapids,  the  shallows 
and  the  pools,  and  each  one  has  a  peculiar  effect  upon  its 
inhabitants. 

The  trout  that  live  in  streams  have  a  decided  advan- 
tage over  all  other  trout  in  that  they  "live  and  have  their 
being"  in  more  aerated  water  than  trout  found  in  still 
water ;  and  this  condition,  as  a  rule,  gives  the  stream  trout 
more  life,  makes  him  more  active,  rising  more  snappily 
to  the  angler's  fly,  and  striking  in  a  readier  fashion. 

In  addition  to  the  best  kind  of  water  in  which  to  live, 
the  stream  trout  have  the  finest  trout  food  to  live  upon, 
consisting  largely  of  flies,  bugs  and  insects,  and  this  is 
another  reason  why  they  show  more  agility,  size  for  size, 
than  do  trout  which  live  in  lakes  and  still  water. 

The  stream  trout  which  live  in  "The  Rapids'*  repre- 
sent, without  doubt,  the  nearest  approach  to  perfection  of 
all  trout  life,  for  it  is  in  such  places  that  nature  has  given 
the  trout  every  opportunity  for  full  development. 

Here  it  is  the  trout  have  to  work  hard  for  their  food, 
when  rising  to  the  surface  or  forging  ahead  against  the 
current  of  the  stream;  this  keeps  the  trout  in  good  con- 
dition and  develops  their  agility  to  the  utmost,  making 
them  "snappy"  risers  to  the  fly  and  hard  and  persistent 
fighters  when  hooked, 

125 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Such  trout  are  the  hardest  to  play  and  land,  but  not 
to  strike  and  hook,  for  being  in  fast  running  water  they 
in  many  cases  hook  or  help  to  hook  themselves. 

The  angler's  ability  is  shown  after  the  trout  is  hooked 
and  "the  fight"  begins.  And  it  is  well  for  the  angler  to 
bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  trout  as  a  general  thing  are 
loath  to  leave  their  habitat,  knowing  every  snag  in  their 
domain.  It  behooves  the  angler  to  be  alert  and  steady  of 
nerve  if  he  wishes  to  land  his  fish. 

Next  in  order  we  have  the  trout  which  live  most  of  the 
time  in  "The  Shallows."  They  are  the  trout  that  are  prone 
to  stay  under  the  banks,  on  the  lower  side  of  rocks  or  boul- 
ders and  near  hassocks,  waiting  for  their  food,  either  on 
the  surface  or  in  the  water,  for  which  they  dart  when  it 
comes  within  eyesight  with  the  speed  of  an  express  train 
and  with  such  accuracy  that  it  seldom  gets  away. 

These  trout,  while  game  and  "snappy"  to  a  great  de- 
gree, are  not  to  be  compared  to  their  brothers  of  "The 
Rapids"  in  their  agility  and  ability  to  put  up  such  a  grand 
struggle  for  life.  And  they  do  not  so  greatly  tax  the  an- 
gler's strength  of  wrist  and  patience  in  handling  them,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  they  know  all  "the  tricks  of  the  trade," 
because  their  realm  of  action  is  more  favorable  to  the 
angler. 

Now  we  come  to  "The  Pools."  It  is  in  such  places 
that  we  find  the  largest  trout,  not  that  large  trout  are  not 
caught  occasionally  in  "The  Rapids"  and  "The  Shal- 
lows," but  it  is  here  where  the  large  trout  "most  do  con- 

1126 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

gregate/*  and  where  the  angler  of  experience  always  looks 
to  find  them  in  number. 

These  large  trout  are  not  great  surface  feeders.  At 
all  events,  if  they  are,  their  feeding  must  be  largely  done 
at  night,  for  it  is  seldom  that  they  rise  to  the  flies  on  the 
surface  during  the  daytime.  This  is  certainly  the  fact 
so  far  as  the  Brook  Trout,  the  Salvelinus-fontinalis,  is 
concerned;  but  with  the  Brown  Trout,  the  Salmo-fario, 
it  is  different,  for  this  trout  will  often  rise  to  the  flies  on 
the  surface  at  any  time  of  the  day  or  night. 

When  large  Brook  Trout  are  persuaded  to  rise  to  the 
angler's  fly  they  do  so  in  a  stately  and  dignified  manner, 
and  their  very  size  when  they  turn  to  strike  makes  a  swirl 
of  such  proportions  as  to  thrill  the  heart  of  the  most  expe- 
rienced of  anglers. 

Large  trout  are  not  quick  strikers,  and  in  order  to 
hook  these  fish  the  angler  must  use  great  judgment  in  not 
striking  too  quickly,  and  yet  he  must  not  be  a  second  too 
late  or  his  opportunity  will  be  lost,  because  it  is  seldom 
that  these  large  trout  can  be  induced  to  rise  the  second 
time  the  same  day. 

Trout  that  live  in  "Still  Water,"  such  as  lakes  and 
ponds  and  large  slow-running  streams,  do  not  put  up  such 
a  brilliant  fight  when  hooked  as  do  trout  that  are  caught 
in  ordinary  streams,  owing  to  two  important  conditions, 
which  are  that  the  water  is  less  aerated  and  of  higher  tem- 
perature than  the  water  of  ordinary  streams. 

These  two  conditions  alone  have  a  marked  tendency 
to  make  the  large  trout  somewhat  slower  and  the  smaller 

127 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

trout  less  "snappy'*  when  rising  to  the  fly,  especially  dur- 
ing the  months  of  July  and  August  or  the  hottest  period 
of  the  open  season. 

In  May,  June  and  September  the  trout  of  "still 
water"  are  more  active  and  rise  most  readily  to  the  fly, 
and  this  is  because  the  water  at  such  times  seldom  reaches 
a  temperature  of  over  40  to  55  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

The  Salvelinus-fontinalis  (Brook  Trout)  and  the 
Salmo-fario  (Brown  Trout)  when  found  in  lakes  and 
ponds  come  nearer  to  having  the  same  habits  than  when 
found  in  any  other  kind  of  water. 

Here  both  are  to  a  great  extent  under-water  or  ground 
feeders.  Necessarily  so,  because  this  is  where  the  greatest 
supply  of  food  is  to  be  found,  but  they  rise  to  flies  because 
they  are  the  choice  morsels  which  their  epicurean  tastes 
most  always  crave. 

The  natural  food  of  trout  consists  of  minnows,  almost 
any  kind  of  small  fish,  grubs,  angle-worms,  nearly  all  liv- 
ing things  that  they  can  swallow,  found  in  water  or  on 
water  bottoms  and  under  banks;  flies,  bugs  and  insects  of 
many,  but  not  all,  kinds;  and  trout  will  also  eat  almost 
any  kind  of  meat,  vegetables  and  the  leavings  or  scraps 
from  the  table. 

All  trout  when  hungry  are  great  foragers  for  food. 
They  are  insistent  and  persistent  gourmands,  yet  at  times 
they  are  epicures,  satisfied  only  with  the  most  dainty  food, 
which  in  trout  life  consists  of  flies,  bugs  and  insects. 

Trout  are  not  fastidious  feeders,  except  now  and  then, 
but  they  are  always  clean  feeders,  for  they  will  not  touch 

128 


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Id 

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h 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

any  food  that  is  tainted  or  foul  at  any  time,  whether  or 
not  it  be  alive  or  dead. 

The  fact  that  trout  are  clean  feeders  establishes  two 
other  facts:  namely,  that  their  sense  of  smell  is  well  de- 
veloped, and  that  all  water  in  which  trout  can  live  is  per- 
fectly safe  for  the  angler  to  drink. 

As  no  two  trout  waters  are  alike,  the  habits  and  the 
habitats  of  the  trout  must  also  differ  in  many  ways;  the 
reader  therefore  must  not  take  anything  that  I  have  said 
about  them  as  applying  absolutely  to  any  particular  trout 
water,  my  intention  being  to  give  only  a  general  idea  of 
trout  habits  and  their  environments  under  certain  con- 
ditions. 

Many  conditions  other  than  the  environment  of  trout 
have  to  do  with  their  habits  at  different  times  in  the  sea- 
son and  in  the  same  place,  such  as  weather,  time  of  day, 
kind  of  day,  the  condition  and  temperature  of  the  water. 

"No  living  man  can  say,"  writes  a  well-known  angler,  "when, 
upon  unfamiliar  waters,  what  fly  will  prove  most  alluring.  The 
greater  his  experience  the  more  tentative  does  he  consider  his  first 
efforts." 

"Every  stream  has  its  own  peculiarities  not  only  as  to  the  most 
successful  fly,  but  as  to  the  habits  of  its  trout  as  well." 

My  experience  has  been  that  trout,  both  in  streams  and 
lakes,  rise  most  readily  to  the  artificial  fly  when  they  have 
been  and  are  feeding,  and  are  nearly,  if  not  quite,  gorged. 

Why  this  should  be  the  case  I  have  never  been  able 
to  determine  satisfactorily;  but  that  it  is  a  fact  I  have  no 

129 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

doubt,  and  this  seems  to  be  the  belief  of  most  experienced 
anglers  who  have  fished  many  waters. 

This  peculiarity  of  trout  has  been  accounted  for  in 
several  ways,  but  the  theory  that  appeals  most  to  me  is, 
that  the  trout  having  filled  their  bellies  with  food  they 
are  attracted  only  by  flies  which  are  to  their  epicurean  taste 
the  proper  morsel  with  which  to  "top  off"  their  meal.  Ad- 
vocates of  this  theory  claim  that  the  trout  in  this  condition 
having  eaten  well  are  less  keen  of  eyesight  and  can  less 
readily  or  quickly  differentiate  between  the  real  and  the 
artificial  fly,  which  would  explain  why  they  are  such  per- 
sistent risers  under  such  conditions. 

It  is  not  at  all  an  uncommon  thing  to  catch  trout  that 
have  only  partially  swallowed  a  small  fish  and  at  other 
times  to  have  them,  while  being  played,  disgorge  one  and 
sometimes  two  and  even  three  good-sized  minnows;  so 
there  seems  at  all  events  some  good  ground  for  the  above 
theory. 

These  gorged  trout  do  not  rise  as  rapidly  and  take  the 
fly  as  quickly  as  those  that  have  not  fed  as  well,  although 
when  hooked  they  seem  immediately  to  regain  their  nat- 
ural energy,  "wake  up,"  so  to  speak,  and  put  up  a  fight 
that  requires  all  the  skill  of  the  angler  to  overcome. 

Trout  in  this  gorged  condition  are  usually  found  in 
the  pools  of  streams  and  lakes,  although  at  times  they  are 
found  elsewhere.  A  camp  float  or  landing  where  the 
guides  have  been  in  the  habit  of  throwing  the  refuse  from 
the  table  is  a  likely  spot. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  to-day  trout  may  be  rising 

130 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

well,  and  this  may  also  be  true  for  the  day  following,  but 
on  the  third  day  no  trout  are  in  evidence,  and  so  far  as 
indications  go  not  a  trout  is  in  the  section  of  the  stream 
or  lake  you  are  fishing. 

At  such  times  one  will  frequently  hear  anglers  ex- 
claim, "There  are  no  fish  here!"  or  "Where  in  the  devil 
have  the  trout  gone?  We  were  catching  them  here  yes- 
terday." 

The  wise  angler,  however,  knows  in  most  cases  that 
the  trout  have  not  left  their  habitat,  but  are  quietly  rest- 
ing after  feeding  until  nature  again  asserts  itself  in  the 
form  of  hunger,  when  the  trout  will  once  more  be  in  evi- 
dence much  to  the  angler's  delight. 

There  is  a  condition  that  is  found  during  September 
in  the  pools  of  lakes  and  streams,  of  large  trout  coming 
to  the  surface  and  "Rolling,"  not  unlike  the  way  a  por- 
poise rolls ;  but  this  condition  is  not  often  observed,  except 
in  the  waters  of  the  Rangeley  region,  where  year  after 
year  in  certain  pools  it  occurs  regularly. 

These  are  the  Brook  Trout  (Salvelinus-fontinalis),  and 
they  indulge  in  this  particular  form  of  amusement  to  the 
great  disgust  of  many  an  experienced  angler,  for  at  such 
times  they  will  rarely  take  the  fly,  irrespective  of  whether 
or  not  it  is  a  natural  or  an  artificial  one. 

These  "Rolling"  trout  range  in  size  from  two  to  over 
eight  pounds,  and  as  it  is  close  to  the  spawning  season 
they  are  usually  highly  colored,  the  most  marked  colora- 
tion being  on  the  smaller,  not  the  larger  fish. 

These  large  fish,  at  this  time,  will  not  take  a  fly  that 

131 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

is  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  therefore,  in  order  to  stand 
even  a  remote  chance  of  making  one  rise  to  your  fly,  it 
must  be  fished  from  two  to  six  inches  below  the  surface. 

Why  these  trout  indulge  in  "Rolling,"  and  why  they 
will  not,  save  in  exceptional  instances,  rise  to  an  an- 
gler's fly  has  been  and  still  is  beyond  the  knowledge  of 
most  men,  and  I  for  one  will  not  hazard  an  opinion. 

Although  the  habits  of  trout  are  peculiar,  although 
they  differ  in  every  kind  of  trout  water,  although  they 
change  greatly  under  varying  conditions  in  the  same 
water,  nevertheless  I  say  to  every  angler,  study  well  their 
habits,  consider  well  what  you  observe  and  never  get  dis- 
couraged; apply  such  knowledge  as  you  gain  from  expe- 
rience, for  only  by  so  doing  will  you  get  the  greatest 
pleasure  out  of  angling  as  well  as  the  best  sport. 


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CHAPTER  VIII 
THE    COLORATION   OF   TROUT 

In  the  matter  of  fly-fishing,  anglers  in  the  past  have 
given  little  consideration  to  the  subject  of  trout  colora- 
tion, what  causes  it  and  how  it  is  developed;  and  this  has 
been  due  probably  to  their  not  realizing  that  a  knowledge 
of  this  subject,  if  properly  applied,  would  add  materially 
to  their  success. 

It  is  with  the  hope  and  desire  that  I  can  interest  an- 
glers, at  least  to  some  extent,  in  the  coloration  of  trout  that 
I  have  written  this  chapter,  because  I  know  from  many 
years  of  experience  that  a  knowledge  of  this  subject  often 
spells  success  where  a  lack  of  it  spells  failure. 

The  Charr,  genus  Salvelinus,  has  by  nature  greater 
coloration  than  the  Trout,  genus  Salmo ;  the  differences  in 
coloration,  both  in  degree  and  character,  are  occasioned 
by  the  Charr  having  a  greater  variety  and  quantity  of  cer- 
tain dominant  pigment  colors  than  the  Trout. 

There  are  four  well-defined  degrees  of  coloration. 
They  are  called  dark,  subdued,  light  and  brilliant,  and 
each  degree  as  portrayed  by  the  different  species  is  pro- 
duced and  developed  by  the  same  conditions  and  elements 
working  in  unison.    The  character  of  the  coloration,  how- 

133 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

ever,  depends  upon  the  pigment  colors  found  in  each 
species. 

Of  the  genus  Salvelinus,  the  Brook  Trout  (species 
fontinalis)  represents  the  most  remarkable  development 
in  coloration,  showing  more  marked  changes  than  any 
other  species  of  Charr. 

And  of  the  genus  Salmo,  the  Rainbow  Trout  (species 
irideus),  and  the  Golden  Trout  (species  gilberti),  prob- 
ably, everything  considered,  represent  the  greatest  devel- 
opment and  changes  in  coloration  of  all  the  species  be- 
longing to  the  Salmo  group. 

As  the  Brook  Trout  undoubtedly  represents  the  most 
remarkable  development  of  all  trout  coloration,  it  is  the 
species  I  have  selected  to  illustrate  the  four  well-defined 
degrees,  and  I  can  assure  my  readers  that  they  truthfully 
do  so. 

Of  Brook  Trout  coloration,  William  C.  Harris  says : 

'The  coloration  of  this  charr  presents  curious  contrasts.  Some 
become  dark  and  dingy  as  they  grow  old  and  blind;  others  again 
have  been  found  without  red  spots  when  living  side  by  side  with 
their  congeners  of  brilliant  ones;  and  others  are  born  albinos.  The 
cause  of  a  uniform  black  or  blackish  coloration  in  fishes  living  in 
surface  streams  is  due  to  the  action  of  the  nerves  of  the  eye  on  the 
color  glands,  for  when  the  fish  become  blind  they  always  assume  a 
dark  coloration;  when  the  nerve  of  the  eye  ceases  to  act,  the  color 
glands  lose  their  motive  powers.  Through  our  eyes  we  receive 
perceptions  of  color,  shades,  or  tints,  which  are  transmitted  to  the 
brain;  in  fishes  through  the  same  medium,  the  nerve  of  the  eye, 
these  impressions  act  upon  the  color  glands,  and  are  of  course  in- 
voluntary and  entirely  beyond  the  control  of  the  fish. 

"Upon  dark-colored  fishes  living  in  cave-streams  or  under- 

134 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

ground  lakes,  a  similar  cause  and  like  effect  constantly  exists ;  the 
fish  cannot  see,  for  they  live  in  perpetual  night.  Why  trout  are 
found  in  their  native  waters  on  which  the  glare  of  the  sun  or  the 
subdued  light  of  the  forest  gloom  are  constant  conditions,  the  fish 
being  without  characteristic  red  spots,  and  now  and  then  assum- 
ing the  abnormal  coloration  of  the  albino,  is  a  difficult  matter  to 
explain;  it  doubtless  arises  from  the  defective  action  of  the  nerve  of 
the  eye  upon  the  color  glands,  or  petals,  which  lie  under  the  scales 
and  which  open  and  shut  when  under  the  influence  of  color  tints 
conveyed  to  them  through  the  delicate  nerve  of  the  eye;  certain 
nerve  fibres  in  such  cases  producing  the  red  spots  on  the  trout  and 
the  diseased  condition  of  others  resulting  in  albinos." 

It  may  be  that  Mr.  Harris  is  quite  correct  in  his  con- 
clusions that  the  eye  is  the  chief  element  or  factor  by  which 
trout  coloration  is  produced  and  likewise  controlled. 

While  my  own  investigations,  experiments,  experience 
and  observations  have  led  me  to  entirely  different  conclu- 
sions as  to  the  causes  of  coloration  in  trout,  I  do  not  wish 
to  be  understood  as  saying  that  Mr.  Harris  is  entirely 
wrong  simply  because  our  opinions  differ. 

That  the  eye  has  some  effect  upon  coloration  is  unques- 
tionably true,  but  to  what  extent  it  influences  coloration 
and  controls  it,  is  the  point  upon  which  we  differ. 

My  study  of  trout  coloration  has  been  such  as  to  make 
me  believe  that  the  eyesight  of  trout  plays  but  little  part  in 
color  development,  except  in  the  case  of  complete  blind- 
ness, and  then  only  in  a  secondary,  not  primary,  sense.  In 
nature  it  is  most  rare  to  find  blind  trout,  and  it  certainly  is 
not  common  to  find  them  with  impaired  eyesight,  although 

^35 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

occasionally  trout  are  caught  having  only  one  good  eye, 
the  other  one  in  some  way  having  been  injured  or  lost. 

As  between  normal  eyesight  and  blindness,  the  two 
extreme  conditions,  coloration  is  indirectly  influenced  by 
sight,  but  as  to  the  intermediate  stages  little  or  no  effect  is 
apparently  produced  as  a  general  proposition ;  at  all  events 
not  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  discover. 

The  large  majority  of  all  trout  have  normal  eyesight, 
some  have  one  defective  eye  and  a  very  few  are  afflicted 
with  partial  or  complete  blindness.  Trout  that  are  truly 
blind,  however,  are  very  short-lived,  and  specimens  of 
such  trout  are  difficult  to  obtain.  They  are  very  short- 
lived, because  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  find  sufficient 
food  upon  which  to  exist,  and  such  fish  do  have  dark 
coloration. 

The  dark  coloration,  however,  in  my  judgment,  is  not 
due  to  loss  of  sight  or  blindness,  but  to  other  causes,  the 
controlling  and  primary  one  being  light. 

The  blind  trout  is  an  "under-surface"  feeder,  so  much 
so,  that  it  can  be  properly  called  a  **ground  feeder,"  locat- 
ing its  limited  supply  of  food  very  largely  by  the  sense  of 
smell.  It  follows,  then,  that  the  blind  trout  necessarily 
lives  its  short  life  in  the  deepest  water  of  its  habitat,  and  is 
poorly  nourished.  I  have  found  that  it  is  due  to  these  con- 
ditions that  blind  trout  take  on  a  subdued  or  dark  colora- 
tion and  not  to  the  loss  of  sight. 

Any  abnormal  coloration  In  trout  is  undoubtedly  due 
to  peculiar  conditions  in  each  individual  case,  and  they 
come  either  from  external  or  internal  sources  or  both, 

136 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

which  sources  control  the  food  and  pigment  supply  and 
directly  affect  the  action  of  the  nerves,  glands  and  pigment 
cells.  As  abnormal  coloration  in  trout,  irrespective  of 
the  species,  is  the  great  exception  and  not  the  rule,  it  vi^ould 
seem  as  if,  when  considering  the  subject  of  coloration, 
such  conditions  might  fairly  be  eliminated  as  having  little 
material  bearing  upon  the  general  subject. 

The  coloration  of  trout  in  the  first  instance,  that  is  the 
characteristic  coloring  of  each  species  and  sub-species, 
depends  upon  the  dominant  pigment  colors  which  are  nat- 
ural to  them.  Under  certain  fixed  conditions  each  sepa- 
rate and  distinct  species  and  sub-species  of  trout  will  de- 
velop to  all  practical  purposes  the  same  general  colora- 
tion. While  under  the  same  conditions  two  different 
species  or  sub-species  will  develop  entirely  different 
coloration,  and  this  is  due  to  the  quality  and  quantity  of 
the  different  pigment  colors  natural  to  each. 

Change  the  water  conditions  and  the  coloration  will 
change ;  change  the  character  of  the  food  and  the  colora- 
tion will  change;  change  the  character  of  the  water  bot- 
tom or  the  degree  and  character  of  light  and  the  coloration 
will  change.  In  other  words,  a  marked  change  in  any  one 
of  the  elements  that  produce  and  make  effective  the  colora- 
tion of  trout  will  change  that  coloration. 

One  of  the  most  marked  illustrations  of  how  col- 
oration changes  is  found  in  the  so-called  sea-run 
species  of  trout,  such  as  the  Steelhead  and  the  Brook 
Trout. 

137 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Coloration  of  Trout 

The  coloration  of  trout  is  due  to  a  number  of  separate 
and  distinct  factors  and  elements,  each  one  of  which  per- 
forms some  special  function.  These  factors  are  naturally 
divided  into  two  classes — internal  and  external. 

Those  which  influence  coloration  from  within  the  fish 
are  called  internal  and  those  which  influence  coloration 
from  without  are  called  external. 


Internal  Factors: 

Internal  Elements: 
External  Factors: 

External  Elements: 


(I 

(2 

(3 

(I 

(2 

(I 
(2 

(I 
(2 
(3 


Position  of  the  pigment  cells. 
Activity  of  the  pigment  cells. 
Kind  or  character  of  food. 

The  breeding  season. 
The  age  of  trout. 

Character  of  the  water  bottom. 
Kind  or  degree  of  light. 

Kind  of  day. 
Condition  of  the  water. 
Season  of  the  year. 


The  coloration  of  trout  is  made  possible  by  the  pres- 
ence of  innumerable  pigment  cells  which  are  located  at 
different  depths  of  the  skin  and  on  or  near  the  surface  of 
the  scales. 

These  cells,  due  to  their  nature  and  position,  are  ren- 
dered extremely  sensitive  and  therefore  are  susceptible  to 
rapid  changes  which  make  effective  the  different  pigment 
colors. 

The  changes  in  coloration  are  caused  by  conditions 
which  influence  the  activity  of  the  pigment  cells,  thus  in- 
creasing or  decreasing  the  accumulation  of  the  numerous 

138 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


pigment  colors  at  their  surface  due  to  contraction  or  ex- 
pansion of  the  cells. 

Bearing  of  Factors  Upon  Each  Other 

( 1 )  Position  of  the  pigment  cells. 

(2)  Activity  of  the  pigment  cells : 

Character  of  the  water  bottom. 
Kind  or  degree  of  light. 
The  breeding  season. 
The  age  of  trout. 

(3)  Kind  or  character  of  food. 

(4)  Character  of  the  water  bottom. 

(5)  Kind  or  degree  of  light: 

Kind  of  day. 
Condition  of  the  water. 
Season  of  the  year. 

The  Functions  of  the  Five  Factors 


Position  of  the  pigment  cells 
{Internal  factor) 


Activity  of  the  pigment  cells 
(Internal  factor) 


Kind  or  character  of  food: 
(Internal  factor) 


The  function  of  this  factor  is  to 
make  marked  coloration  possi- 
ble, which  is  due  to  the  location 
of  the  pigment  cells  in  the  skin 
and  on  or  near  the  surface  of  the 
scales. 

The  function  of  this  factor  is  to 
make  the  many  and  rapid 
changes  of  coloration  take  place 
and  it  is  influenced  by  two  ex- 
ternal factors  and  two  internal 
elements. 

The  function  of  this  factor  is  to 
supply  both  the  quality  and 
quantity  of  the  various  pig- 
ments producing  coloration. 

139 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Character  of  the  water  bottom : 
{External  factor) 


Kind  or  degree  of  light; 
(External  factor) 


The  function  of  this  factor  is  ef- 
fectively and  directly  to  influ- 
ence at  all  times  the  many 
changes  of  coloration  that  take 
place. 

The  function  of  this  factor  is  to 
control  the  coloration  of  trout 
through  its  influence  upon  the 
water  and  the  water  bottom. 


The  position  of  the  pigment  cells  is  the  factor  in  trout 
coloration  which  renders  the  cells  sensitive  and  suscepti- 
ble to  the  influences  which  make  it  possible  for  the  many 
changes  in  coloration  to  take  place. 

The  pigment  cells  are  located  in  the  skin  and  on  or 
near  the  surface  of  the  scales,  and  this  holds  true  with  all 
species  and  sub-species  of  trout  wherever  found. 

The  number  of  pigment  cells,  their  size  and  the  kind 
of  pigment  colors,  however,  vary  greatly  with  the  differ- 
ent species  which,  in  a  large  measure,  accounts  for  their 
marked  differences  in  coloration. 

The  silvery  and  golden  hues  of  coloration  are  made 
so  very  pronounced  because  the  pigment  colors  producing 
them  are  contained  in  cells  located  on  or  near  the  surface 
of  the  scales  and  therefore  are  more  easily  and  quickly 
influenced  than  are  the  skin  cells. 

Bright,  white  sandy  bottoms  under  bright  light,  with 
clear,  shallow  water,  bring  out  to  the  greatest  extent  the 
silvery  sheen  on  trout,  while  bright,  yellowish  sandy  bot- 
toms under  the  same  conditions  of  water  and  light  bring 
out  to  the  fullest  extent  the  golden  luster. 

140 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  most  vivid  coloration  of  trout,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  produced  by  the  darker  and  more  brilliant  pigment  col- 
ors which  are  contained  in  the  cells  located  in  the  skin  un- 
der the  scales. 

The  activity  of  the  pigment  cells  is  the  factor  which 
causes  the  many  and  rapid  changes  of  coloration  to  take 
place. 

The  character  of  the  water  bottom, 
The  kind  or  degree  of  light, 
The  breeding  season,  and, 
The  age  of  trout, 

all  play  important  parts  in  influencing  activity  by  caus- 
ing expansion  and  contraction  of  the  pigment  cells,  which 
in  their  turn  increase  or  decrease  the  accumulation  of 
the  pigment  colors  in  the  cells. 

The  pigment  cells,  so  far  as  coloration  is  concerned, 
are  rendered  most  active  when  subjected  to  the  influences 
of  a  light  water  bottom,  bright  light,  clear  and  shallow 
water;  they  are  rendered  least  active  when  subjected  to 
the  influences  of  a  dark  water  bottom,  dull  light,  muddy 
and  deep  water. 

The  activity  of  the  pigment  cells  remains  relatively  the 
same  as  a  general  proposition  throughout  all  seasons  so 
far  as  the  influence  of  these  conditions  alone  is  concerned. 

The  activity  of  the  pigment  cells  is  still  further  influ- 
enced and  intensified  by  the  breeding  season  because  it  is 
during  this  period  that  the  nervous  system  of  trout  is  most 
sensitive. 

The  age  of  trout  also  exerts  some  influence  upon  the 

141 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

activity  of  the  pigment  cells,  but  judging  from  my  own 
investigations,  probably  less  than  any  other  single  ele- 
ment. 

Mature  trout  have  the  best  coloring;  old  trout  the  least 
coloring;  and  young  trout  vary  greatly  in  their  coloring 
but  seldom,  if  ever,  are  they  as  highly  colored  as  trout  of 
mature  age. 

The  kind  or  character  of  food  eaten  by  trout  is  the 
factor  which  is  directly  responsible  for  the  quality  and 
quantity  of  the  pigment  colors  developed,  and  which  pro- 
duces the  marked  coloration  of  the  different  species  and 
sub-species. 

All  species  and  sub-species  of  trout  (genus  Salmo  and 
genus  Salvelinus)  have  their  own  peculiar  colorings, 
which  are,  as  a  rule,  distinctive.  Although  conditions  in- 
crease and  diminish  the  colorings  of  each,  their  marked 
distinctive  coloration  nearly  always  remains  the  same. 

Nature  in  the  first  instance  determines  what  the  col- 
oring of  each  species  of  trout  shall  be  by  the  placement  of 
the  pigment  cells,  their  size  and  number,  as  well  as  the 
dominant  pigment  colors,  which  are  to  be  developed  both 
in  quality  and  quantity. 

The  effect  upon  coloration  of  the  different  kinds  of 
food  eaten  by  all  species  of  trout  seems  to  remain  practi- 
cally the  same :  that  is,  shrimp  and  all  Crustacea  produce 
and  develop  light-colored  pigments ;  flies  and  insects,  sub- 
dued colored  pigments;  and  worms,  minnows  and  flesh 
foods  of  all  kinds,  dark  and  rich-colored  pigments. 

But  these  different  trout  foods  do  not  produce  and  de- 

142 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

velop  the  same  pigment  colors  in  all  the  different  species 
of  trout,  for  if  such  were  the  case  there  would  be  no  such 
thing  as  any  distinctive  coloration  of  the  various  species 
of  trout. 

The  character  of  the  water  bottom  is  the  factor,  next 
to  light,  which  is  the  one  most  directly  responsible  for  the 
many  changes  that  take  place  in  the  coloration  of  trout, 
and  this  is  due  to  its  direct  and  immediate  influence  upon 
the  pigment  cells. 

There  are  three  well-defined  and  common  water  bot- 
toms which  differ  very  markedly  from  each  other.  They 
are  known  as  the  light  bottom,  the  neutral  bottom,  and  the 
dark  bottom. 

Although  these  different  water  bottoms  exert  different 
influences  upon  the  coloration  of  trout  under  the  same 
conditions  of  light,  nevertheless  the  greatest  effectiveness 
of  the  different  water  bottoms  is  increased  or  diminished 
primarily  by  the  kind  or  degree  of  light  which  prevails. 

A  light  water  bottom  is  one  that  is  composed  of  sand 
or  gravel,  or  both,  and  has  a  bright  appearance;  a  neutral 
water  bottom  is  one  that  is  composed  of  small  rocks  with 
a  mixed  soil  or  clay  and  has  a  subdued  appearance  which 
leans  neither  to  light  nor  dark,  being  gray  or  leadeny  in 
color ;  a  dark  water  bottom  is  one  that  is  composed  largely 
of  mud  or  very  dark  soils  and  has  a  dark  brown  or  black 
appearance.  Large  rocks  or  boulders  are  found  on  all 
kinds  of  water  bottoms  while  water  vegetation  is  found 
mostly  on  neutral  and  dark  water  bottoms,  although  in 

143 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

some  places  light  water  bottoms  have  grass  or  weeds,  but 
they  are,  as  a  rule,  widely  separated. 

Light  water  bottoms  produce  bright  coloration. 
Neutral  water  bottoms  produce  subdued  coloration. 
Dark  water  bottoms  produce  dark  coloration. 

A  light  water  bottom  is  always  a  light  water  bottom, 
and  a  dark  water  bottom  is  always  a  dark  water  bottom,  but 
the  effectiveness  of  each  bottom  depends  upon  these  five 
conditions,  i.  e. : 

The  kind  or  degree  of  light, 
The  color  of  the  water, 
The  depth  of  the  water, 
The  temperature  of  the  water, 
The  season  of  the  year. 

As  white  reflects  and  black  absorbs  color,  it  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  brighter  the  light  the  more  effective 
must  become  the  light  water  bottom  and  the  duller  the 
light  the  more  effective  must  become  the  dark  water  bot- 
tom. It  also  follows  that  a  neutral  water  bottom  is  the 
one  least  affected  by  the  different  conditions  and  degree 
of  light. 

The  kind  or  degree  of  light,  after  all,  is  the  factor 
which  controls  the  coloration  of  trout  and  which  makes  it 
possible  for  the  other  factors  to  perform  their  respective 
functions.  Because,  if  it  were  not  for  the  fact  that  some 
degree  of  light  exists  nearly  everywhere  and  at  all  times, 
trout,  as  well  as  all  species  of  fish,  would  be  without  colora- 
tion, having  simply  a  very  dark  appearance,  such  as  is  the 

144 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

case  with  fish  that  are  found  in  caves  where  but  little  light 
ever  enters. 

Therefore  the  effectiveness  of  light  so  far  as  kind  or 
degree  is  concerned  must  necessarily  depend  upon  three 
external  elements : 

The  kind  of  day, 

The  condition  of  the  water, 

The  season  of  the  year. 

The  best  or  greatest  coloration  can  only  be  produced 
when  the  highest  degree  of  light  is  made  most  effective 
upon  a  light  water  bottom,  and  the  poorest  and  least  col- 
oration when  the  smallest  degree  of  light  is  made  ineffect- 
ive upon  a  dark  water  bottom. 

Between  these  two  extremes  we  have  the  normal  or  av- 
erage coloration  of  trout  except  just  before  and  during 
the  breeding  or  spawning  season. 

Bearing  of  Factors  Upon  Coloration 

Position  of  the  Pigment  Cells 
{Internal  Factor) 

[Skin  cells  contain  the  dark  pigment  colors. 
^  *    I  Scale  cells  contain  the  light  pigment  colors. 


Character    of    the 

water  bottom: 
{External  factor) 

Kind  or  degree  of 

light: 
{External  factor) 


Activity  of  the  Pigment  Cells 
{Internal  Factor) 

Light  bottom,  bright  coloration. 
Neutral  bottom,  subdued  coloration. 
Dark  bottom,  dark  coloration. 

Bright  light,  bright  coloration. 
Subdued  light,  subdued  coloration. 
Dull  light,  dark  coloration. 

145 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Breeding  season: 
(Internal  element) 
Applying    only    to 
Light  Bottoms: 


Light  bottom, 
Bright  light, 
Shallow  water. 
Clear  water, 
Light  bottom, 
Subdued  light. 
Medium  water. 
Roily  water, 
Light  bottom, 
Dull  light, 
Deep  water, 
Muddy  water, 


Highest  coloration. 


Ordinary  coloration. 


Poorest  coloration. 


Age  of  trout : 
(Internal  element) 


'Mature  trout,  greatest  coloration. 
Young  trout,  ordinary  coloration. 
Old  trout,  least  coloration. 


Foods  :- 


Light  bottom : 
Neutral  bottom : 
Dark  bottom : 


Kind  or  character  of  food 
(Internal  Factor) 

Shrimps  and  other  Crustacea:  Produce  and  develop 
bright  pigment  colors. 

Flies  and  Insects:  Produce  and  develop  subdued  pig- 
ment colors. 

Worms,  Minnows,  etc.  (all  flesh  foods)  :  Produce  and 
develop  dark  and  rich-toned  pigment  colors. 


Character  of  the  water  bottom 
(External  Factor) 

Sandy, 

Bright  coloration. 


Gravelly, 
Yellowish, 

„     ;      '  .  .      .     J     •,      ISubdued  coloration. 
Rocky,  with  mixed  soils,  J 

[Muddy,  1 

Dark  Brown,  -Dark  coloration. 
Black, 

146 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Kind  or  degree  of  light 
(External  Factor) 


Kind  of  day: 
(External  element) 


O     Q 

g  ^ 

o    ^ 
O 

U 


Color: 


Surface: 


Depth: 


Temp.: 


Season  of  the  year: 
(External  element) 


Clear  day — Sunshine ;  bright  light. 
Dull  day — Haziness ;  subdued  light. 
Dark  day — Cloudiness;  dull  light. 

Clear  water — Good  medium. 
Roily  water — Fair  medium. 
Muddy  water — Poor  medium. 

Calm — Best  condition. 
Ripples — Fair  condition. 
Waves — Poor  condition. 

Shallow  water — i  to  4  feet;  best  condition. 
Medium  water — 4.  to  8  feet;  good  condition. 
Deep  water — 8  to  16  feet;  fair  condition. 

Medium — 40°-^^° ;  good  condition. 
Low — Under  40° ;  fair  condition. 
High — Over  55° ;  poor  condition. 

Late  Spring, 
Summer, 
Early  Fall, 

Late  Fall, 
Early  Spring, 

Winter — Poor  season. 


Best  season. 


Fair  season. 


A  knowledge  of  trout  coloration  materially  aids  the 
fly-fishing  angler  in  becoming  a  successful  one.  And  be- 
sides this  it  gives  him  a  constantly  increasing  sense  of 
pleasure  to  apply  this  knowledge  as  it  is  gained  and  en- 
larged from  season  to  season. 

It  is  from  the  coloration  of  trout  that  the  observing 
angler  can  tell  much  about  their  movements  at  different 

H7 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

periods  of  the  open  season,  such  as  where  and  when  trout 
are  most  likely  to  be  found  and  caught  in  the  many  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  trout  waters. 

Although  all  species  of  trout  vary  greatly  in  their  de- 
gree of  coloration,  nevertheless  there  are  some  marked 
color  characteristics  which  the  angler  can  take  at  the  dif- 
ferent seasons  of  the  year  as  a  real  basis  from  which  to 
draw  proper  deductions  of  their  movements. 

During  the  twelve  months  of  the  year  trout  can  be 
said  to  have  four  well-defined  general  habitats  which  are 
governed  by  the  different  seasons  and  very  effectively  in- 
fluence their  coloration.   They  are : 


The  Winter  Season  Habitat:    - 


The  Spring  Season  Habitat: 


The  Summer  Season  Habitat:  - 


The  Fall  Season  Habitat: 


'November  i  to  April  i — A  period 
of  five  months,  when  coloration  is 
dark  after  the  spawning  season  is 
over. 

April  I  to  June  15 — A  period  of 
two  and  one-half  months  of  dull  or 
subdued  coloration. 

June  15  to  August  15 — A  period  of 
two  months,  when  the  coloration  is 
bright. 

August  15  to  November  i — A 
period  of  tvvo  and  one-half  months 
when  brilliant  coloration  prevails. 


It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  duration  of  the  dif- 
ferent periods  as  given  varies  somewhat  in  different  locali- 
ties and  different  waters,  but  they  are  sufficiently  accurate 

148 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

to  enable  the  angler  during  the  fishing  season  to  draw, 
almost  anywhere,  proper  deductions  from  the  coloration 
as  to  where  trout  are  likely  to  be  found. 

The  Winter  Season  Habitat: 

The  winter  season  habitat,  as  a  rule,  is  in  the  very 
deepest  water  of  both  lakes  and  streams  where  the  bottom 
is  dark,  soft  and  muddy.  Here  it  is  that  trout,  found  in 
fresh  water,  hibernate  during  the  greater  portion  of  the 
closed  and  cold  season.  They  burrow  in  the  soft  muddy 
bottom  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  and  remain  there  for  a 
considerable  length  of  time.  While  this  period  lasts  trout 
are  not  actually  torpid,  as  some  animals  become  during 
the  cold  months,  but  they  are  in  seclusion  or  close  quar- 
ters and  eat  but  little  food. 

It  is  these  conditions,  lasting  as  they  do  for  several 
months,  which  produce  the  dark  and  poor  coloration  and 
render  the  pigment  cells  inactive  and  slow  to  resume  their 
normal  functions  when  a  change  in  the  season  takes  place. 

The  Spring  Season  Habitat: 

The  spring  season  habitat  is  in  shallow  and  medium 
depth  of  water  alongshore  and  on  shoals  and  bars.  It  is 
in  the  early  spring  after  the  ice  goes  out  of  the  streams 
and  lakes  and  the  sun  begins  to  warm  up  the  water  that 
trout  leave  their  winter  quarters,  move  about  and  seek  the 
shallow  and  warmest  places. 

The  angler  should  remember  that  at  no  other  period  of 

149 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  year  are  the  changes  in  trout  coloration  so  sluggish 
and  the  time  required  for  the  changes  to  take  place  so 
long  and  uncertain  as  in  the  early  spring. 

At  this  time,  when  trout  are  caught  which  have  a  dark 
coloration,  the  angler  can  correctly  surmise  that  such  fish 
have  within  a  very  few  days  worked  out  of  deep  water. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  trout  have  only  a  dull  or  sub- 
dued coloration  he  can  correctly  assume  that  such  fish 
have  been  in  shallow  water  for  at  least  a  week  if  not 
longer. 

But  when  quite  bright  colored  trout  are  caught  the 
angler  can  be  certain  that  such  trout  have  been  in  shallow 
water  with  a  light  bottom  for  some  time,  and  that  they 
have  "finished  their  spring  cleaning'*  by  scouring  them- 
selves on  gravelly  and  sandy  bottoms. 

In  lakes  and  fairly  still  water  of  streams  trout  usually 
stay  in  or  near  the  shallow  water  they  first  seek  in  the 
spring  after  coming  out  of  deep  water  until  they  have  fin- 
ished scouring  themselves,  when,  as  a  rule,  they  will 
"school,"  move  to  other  shallow  places,  and  by  the  middle 
of  June  settle  in  some  good  feeding  place  for  the  summer 
habitat. 

The  Summer  Season  Habitat: 

The  summer  season  habitat  is  in  medium  and  deep 
water,  but  not  as  deep  water  as  the  winter  habitat.  Dur- 
ing this  season  trout  are  not,  as  a  general  thing,  willing 
risers  to  the  real  or  artificial  fly,  except  on  some  streams 
that  are  largely  stocked  with  Brown  Trout.    This  is  be- 

150 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

cause  the  temperature  of  the  shallow  water  is  so  high  that 
trout  seek  the  deep  and  cooler  water  and  feed  almost  en- 
tirely upon  under-surface  food. 

Trout,  however,  can  be  caught  during  this  season,  but 
the  angler  must  know  when  and  where  to  cast  his  fly,  and 
he  must  be,  except  on  rare  occasions,  satisfied  with  only 
a  few  fish  to  his  credit  because  the  "proper  time"  to  fish 
is  very  limited. 

During  the  summer  period  trout  seem  to  be  more  shy 
than  at  any  other  time  of  the  year,  and  I  am  satisfied  that 
this  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  brightest  light  then  prevails 
and  on  this  account  shadows  are  more  pronounced,  prob- 
ably scaring  trout  more  quickly  than  any  other  one  con- 
dition. 

It  follows,  then,  that  the  time  to  fish  is  in  the  very  early 
morning  or  the  late  evening  when  the  light  is  the  poorest. 
And  it  is  at  such  times  that  other  conditions  are  more 
favorable ;  for  instance,  the  temperature  of  the  water  is  the 
lowest  in  the  early  morning  and  next  lowest  in  the  late 
evening.  Then  again,  trout  during  the  summer  season 
will  only  go  into  shallow  water  to  feed  at  places  where  the 
water  is  coolest.  On  this  account  it  is  necessary  for  the 
angler  to  select  such  a  place  to  fish. 

It  is  also  necessary  that  the  place  selected  to  fish  in 
addition  to  having  cool  water  be  one  where  trout  can  find 
food. 

Therefore  in  order  to  catch  trout  in  the  summer  season 
with  any  certainty  the  angler  must  fish  when  the  light  is 

151 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

poor,  in  water  that  is  cool  and  in  such  places  where  trout 
can  find  food. 

There  are  just  two  such  places  in  lakes  and  large 
streams  and  they  are  where  brooks  and  small  streams  enter 
the  larger  body  of  water  and  at  or  near  where  springs  are 
to  be  found. 

The  angler  who  will  fish  in  such  places  can,  with  pa- 
tience, usually  catch  trout,  and  sometimes  those  of  fair 
size  are  to  be  taken  late  in  the  evening. 

As  trout  in  lakes  and  still  water  always  seek  cool  and 
aerated  water  in  which  to  feed,  especially  on  flies  and 
insects,  as  night  approaches,  the  angler  will  make  no  mis- 
take if  he  sticks  to  such  places  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
others  while  this  period  lasts. 

The  Fall  Season  Habitat: 

The  fall  season  habitat,  except  in  extreme  hot  weather, 
is  in  medium  and  shallow  water  where  there  is  a  light  or 
lightish  bottom.  It  is  during  this  period  that  the  colora- 
tion of  trout  is  at  its  best,  and  all  of  the  conditions  affect- 
ing coloration  seem  to  unite  in  bringing  about  this  result. 

The  one  best  time  for  fly-fishing  on  both  lakes  and 
streams,  everything  considered,  is  during  the  month  of 
September.  Nature  seems  to  have  selected  this  month  as 
the  one  of  all  others  when  trout  of  all  species  should  be 
in  the  finest  physical  condition  and  have  the  most  brilliant 
coloring,  and  this  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  just 
before  the  breeding  season. 

Trout  during  the  fall  season,  before  spawning  takes 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

place,  often  travel  from  place  to  place  in  "schools"  and 
in  lakes  and  large  streams  there  will  be  seen  not  infre- 
quently a  "school"  of  nothing  but  male  trout  and  another 
"school"  of  nothing  but  female  trout.  But  this  separating 
of  the  males  and  females  I  have  never  observed  except  at 
this  particular  period. 

Remarks  About  Trout  Food: 

While  it  is  true  that  the  food  of  trout  is  responsible 
for  the  different  pigment  colors  developed,  it  does  not 
follow  that  trout  feeding  exclusively  on  worms  and  min- 
nows when  confined  in  water  having  a  light  bottom  will 
be  dark  in  color.  Neither  will  trout  that  feed  solely  on 
shrimp  when  confined  in  water  having  a  dark  bottom  be 
bright  in  color.  But  the  food  eaten  in  each  case  will  affect 
the  degree  of  coloration;  that  is,  the  different  foods  will 
tend  to,  and  in  most  cases  do,  prevent  the  full  effective- 
ness of  the  water  bottom  upon  coloration. 

The  Effect  of  Different  Water  Bottoms: 

The  effect  of  the  water  bottom  upon  the  coloration  of 
trout  under  usual  and  ordinary  conditions  is  most  marked 
and  rapid.  During  the  entire  open  or  fishing  season,  ex- 
cept the  early  part  in  the  spring,  changes  in  the  coloration 
take  place  in  a  few  hours,  and  under  most  conditions  com- 
pletely so  within  twenty  to  thirty  hours. 

Experiments  have  been  made  to  ascertain  the  effect  of 
the  water  bottom  upon  the  coloration  of  trout  and  also  for 

153 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  purpose  of  finding  out  in  what  time  complete  changes 
in  coloration  will  take  place  when  trout  are  confined  over 
different  water  bottoms. 

For  example :  A  small  brook  was  screened  in  three  dif- 
ferent places ;  the  separate  sections  were  all  about  ten  feet 
long,  from  three  to  four  feet  wide  and  about  twenty  to 
twenty-four  inches  deep.  Section  i  had  a  bright,  sandy 
and  gravelly  bottom;  section  2  had  a  neutral  bottom  with 
overhanging  bushes ;  section  3  had  a  dark,  muddy  bottom 
with  slightly  overhanging  banks.  Three  Brook  Trout 
(Salvelinus-fontinalis),  all  about  ten  inches  long,  were 
caught  in  a  pool  an  eighth  of  a  mile  from  the  screened  sec- 
tions, and  were  transferred  to  them,  one  trout  being  placed 
in  each  section. 

Within  two  hours  these  trout  all  began  to  change  color 
and  take  on  the  coloration  characteristic  of  the  water  bot- 
tom of  their  new  habitat,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  a  com- 
plete change  in  coloration  of  the  three  trout  had  taken 
place.  During  the  next  twenty-four  hours  no  further 
change  was  detected  in  any  of  the  trout. 

Next,  the  bright  trout  in  section  i  and  the  dark  trout 
in  section  3  were  carefully  netted,  and  each  was  placed 
in  the  other  section  with  the  result  that  a  complete  change 
in  their  coloration  took  place  within  the  following 
twenty-four  hours.  The  bright  trout  became  dark  and 
the  dark  trout  became  bright,  but  the  trout  in  section  i 
changed  quicker  than  the  trout  in  section  3  by  about  two 
hours. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Then  the  trout  in  section  2  was  placed  in  section  i  and 
became  fully  changed  in  coloration  in  fifteen  hours. 

During  this  experiment  no  account  was  taken  of  the 
character  of  the  food  eaten  by  the  trout,  but  as  this  test 
was  made  in  August  probably  the  food  consisted  largely 
of  flies  and  insects. 

This  test  was  made  under  natural  conditions,  but  in 
order  to  go  further  and  fully  determine  the  effect  of  dif- 
ferent colored  water  bottoms  upon  the  coloration  of  trout 
other  and  unnatural  conditions  were  substituted. 

Three  trout  were  taken,  as  in  the  other  case,  of  about 
the  same  size,  and  placed  in  three  glass  tanks.  One  tank 
rested  upon  a  black  bottom,  and  the  sides  of  the  tank  were 
covered  with  a  dead  black  cloth.  One  tank  rested  upon  a 
white  bottom,  and  the  sides  of  the  tank  were  covered  with 
a  dead  white  cloth.  One  tank  rested  upon  a  yellowish  or 
brownish-yellow  bottom,  and  nothing  was  placed  on  the 
sides  of  the  tank.  The  trout  were  fed  on  worms  and  liver. 
These  tanks  were  in  a  room,  and  resting  on  large  tables, 
and  the  curtains  to  the  windows  were  pulled  down.  The 
ceiling  of  the  room  was  of  a  drab  color. 

These  trout  were  handled  the  same  as  those  in  the 
brook  experiment,  and  the  results  obtained  were  practi- 
cally identical,  except  that  none  of  the  different  colora- 
tions were  quite  as  pronounced,  and  it  took  thirty  to  forty 
hours  for  a  complete  change  to  take  place. 

As  illustrating  the  rapidity  with  which  the  coloration 
of  trout  will  take  place,  I  would  say  that  I  have  on  several 
occasions,  early  in  the  spring,  while  fishing  small  brooks 

IS5 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

in  Massachusetts  with  worms,  caught  trout  that  were  al- 
most as  black  as  your  shoe  and  without  a  single  red  spot 
showing.  Such  trout  when  dead  or  alive  have,  in  five  min- 
utes, while  being  suspended  from  a  line,  changed  from  the 
very  dark  color  to  a  subdued  color,  having  the  bright  red 
spots  well  defined. 

Again  I  say  to  anglers,  give  this  subject  of  coloration 
some  consideration.  You  will  find  it  interesting.  You 
will  also  find  it  a  great  help  when  fishing  new  waters,  and 
on  old  waters  it  may  make  the  difference  between  success 
and  failure,  especially  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  when 
fishing  is  allowed. 


156 


CHAPTER   IX 
THE    SIGHT   AND    HEARING   OF   TROUT 

To  JUST  what  extent  the  eyesight  of  trout  is  developed 
has  indeed  been  a  much  mooted  question  in  the  past  and 
one  that,  as  yet,  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  fully  and  satis- 
factorily determined  in  the  minds  of  all  anglers. 

There  are,  however,  many  circumstances  and  condi- 
tions pertaining  to  the  sight  of  trout  which  occur  so  fre- 
quently in  all  kinds  of  fishable  waters  that  they  certainly 
can  be  taken  as  a  basis  of  logical  reasoning  as  to  whether 
or  not  trout  are  near-sighted  or  are  keen-sighted,  and  can 
distinguish  one  color  from  another. 

From  time  to  time  for  many  years  anglers  have  made 
experiments  trying  to  obtain,  if  possible,  some  definite 
information  about  the  eyesight  of  trout.  No  real  or  sat- 
isfactory results,  however,  have  been  forthcoming  as 
far  as  I  can  learn,  and,  to  my  mind,  never  can  be  from  the 
very  nature  of  the  methods  employed. 

In  these  experiments  the  eyesight  of  trout  has  been 
judged  by  and  compared  to  the  eyesight  of  the  angler,  and 
such  conclusions  as  have  been  drawn  from  the  data  ob- 
tained must  necessarily  be  erroneous  on  that  account. 

The  marked  differences  existing  between  the  eye  of 

157 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

man  and  of  trout  are  such  that  no  comparison  of  them 
can  be  made  which  will  at  all  aid  in  determining  whether 
or  not  trout  have  keen  sight  and  distinguish  color  or  are 
near-sighted  and  cannot  do  so. 

A  trout's  eye  is  without  eyelids.  Its  anterior  surface 
(the  cornea)  is  flat,  or  nearly  so,  and  is  covered  with  the 
skin  of  the  head,  which,  over  the  surface  of  the  eye,  is 
transparent.  The  eye  on  this  account  can  never  be  closed. 
How  then  can  such  an  eye  be  properly  compared  to  the 
human  eye  which  has  eyelids;  a  convex  anterior  surface 
and  a  much  more  tender  skin  or  membrane  covering, 
which  is  so  sensitive  that  the  sight  is  blurred  and  dimmed 
when  submerged  in  water? 

,The  human  eye  was  designed  to  perform  the  function 
of  seeing  objects  through  the  medium  of  the  atmosphere, 
while  the  eye  of  the  trout  was  designed  to  perform  the 
function  of  seeing  objects  through  the  denser  medium  of 
the  water,  and  on  that  account  each  eye  has  its  own  pe- 
culiar construction  and  consequent  limitations  of  sight 
when  subjected  to  unnatural  conditions. 

After  many  years  of  study  and  observation  of  this  sub- 
ject as  an  angler  I  can  unreservedly  say  that  all  trout  have, 
to  my  mind,  keen  vision  and  can  distinguish  and  discrimi- 
nate between  different  colors.  The  extent  of  their  vision 
and  their  ability  to  distinguish  colors  depend  solely  upon 
the  kind  of  water  in  which  they  are -found,  the  position  of 
the  object  to  be  seen,  the  kind  of  weather  conditions  and 
the  season  of  the  year. 

158 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

THE  EYESIGHT  OF  TROUT 

For  instance,  in  clear  streams  that  are  shallow  and  not 
too  fast  running,  be  they  large  or  small,  the  eyesight  of 
trout  is  at  its  best,  and  their  vision  is  remarkably  keen.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  fast  running  streams,  where  necessarily 
the  surface  of  the  water  is  considerably  fretted,  also  in 
deep  streams  which  are  fast  running  and  in  streams,  be 
they  shallow  or  deep,  which  are  discolored  or  roily,  the 
vision  of  trout  is  less  effective,  due  entirely  to  these  ad- 
verse conditions. 

Trout  are  only  made  less  keen  of  vision  when  adverse 
conditions  prevail  over  which  they  have  no  control,  and 
this  is  equally  true  when  the  normal  eyesight  of  mankind 
is  considered. 

Changed  conditions  produce  different  results  with 
every  creature  that  lives  and  has  eyesight. 

The  angler  cannot  see  as  well  and  as  clearly  under 
water  as  he  can  when  out  of  it,  and  it  is  undoubtedly  as 
true  that  trout  can  see  better  in  the  water  than  when  they 
are  out  of  it.  Therefore,  it  follows  that  each  must  have  its 
natural  element  in  order  to  obtain  its  normal  and  best 
vision. 

How  often  has  the  angler,  walking  along  a  small 
stream,  seen  trout  lying  under  its  banks  or  behind  a  boul- 
der or  hassock ;  but  has  it  not  been  after  his  eye  has  become 
accustomed  to  looking  through  the  water  that  he  is  able  to 
see  them? 

If  the  angler  on  the  bank  remains  motionless  and  does 

159 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

not  cast  a  shadow  on  the  water,  how  often  is  it  the  trout 
will  observe  him  and  dart  away? 

This  has  not  only  been  my  experience  but  that  of  many 
anglers  all  over  this  country  and  every  other  country 
where  trout  are  caught. 

Is  it  not  then  a  fair  deduction  to  make  that  the  eye- 
sight of  the  angler  and  that  of  the  trout  are  naturally  less 
keen  when  the  normal  conditions  are  reversed,  the  angler 
looking  through  the  water  and  the  trout  through  the  at- 
mosphere? And  is  it  not  the  movement  of  the  angler  or 
the  trout  that  first  focuses  the  vision  of  each  upon  the 
other? 

We  have  been  speaking  of  trout  found  in  ordinary 
stream  fishing.  Now  let  us  consider  the  trout  found  in 
lakes  and  large,  deep  and  slow-running  streams,  and  see 
what  their  eyesight  is  in  such  places. 

After  the  spawning  season  is  over,  trout  gradually 
work  down  the  smaller  streams,  from  the  head  waters, 
where  the  breeding  or  spawning  grounds  mostly  are  lo- 
cated, to  the  deep  waters  of  the  larger  streams  and  lakes, 
where  they  remain  during  the  winter  months. 

When  the  open  season  begins  in  the  spring,  and  it 
varies  in  different  States,  the  trout  are  just  beginning  to 
move  about  actively  and  seek  the  shallow  water  as  the  days 
grow  warmer. 

It  is  at  such  time  that  the  eyesight  of  these  trout  is  the 
poorest  and  least  keen,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  have 
been  for  a  considerable  length  of  time  in  deep,  dark  water 
under  ice.   This  condition  has  had  its  effect  upon  the  sight 

1 60 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

of  the  trout,  as  the  eyes  have  become  accustomed  to  a  sub- 
dued light,  which  has  made  them  slow  to  resume  their  nor- 
mal vision.  At  such  times  the  angler  should  use  flies  of  a 
much  larger  size  than  he  would  ordinarily  use  later  in  the 
season.  For  instance,  where  trout  have  been  under  ice 
for  some  time,  flies  tied  on  Number  4  and  6  hooks  are  the 
best  size,  and  the  ones  most  likely  to  prove  successful, 
while  flies  tied  on  8,  10  and  12  hooks  will  prove  of  little 
use. 

This  condition  lasts  for  from  twenty  to  thirty  days, 
depending  somewhat  upon  local  conditions,  and  how  long 
the  trout  have  been  under  the  ice,  also  whether  it  is  a  warm 
or  cold  spring  season. 

The  eyesight  of  the  trout  grows  nearer  to  normal  each 
day  (when  the  ice  is  gone)  after  the  first  two  weeks,  but  in 
some  waters  they  do  not  seem  to  regain  their  full  normal 
vision  until  the  last  of  June.  This,  however,  is  the  excep- 
tion, not  the  rule. 

For  years  I  have  fished  the  trout  waters  of  New  York 
and  the  New  England  States  early  in  the  spring  or  just  as 
soon  as  the  open  season  for  fishing  has  begun,  and  I  have 
found  these  conditions  I  have  mentioned  to  be  the  same 
year  by  year,  so  that  personally  I  believe  them  to  be  a  fact, 
not  a  fancy  or  theory. 

Each  season  for  many  years  I  have  made  it  a  practice 
to  start  fly-fishing  with  small  flies.  Numbers  10  and  12, 
such  as  I  use  later  in  the  season,  but  never  have  I  had  any 
success  with  these  flies  on  waters  that  have  been  ice-cov- 
ered for  many  weeks  or  on  streams  that  have  large,  deep 

161 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

pools  where  the  water  moves  slowly.  After  giving  the 
small  flies  a  fair  "try  out"  of  several  hours,  and  in  some 
cases  whole  days  without  having  any  success,  I  have  then 
changed  to  the  larger  flies.  Numbers  4  and  6,  and  almost 
immediately  good  results  have  followed  on  precisely  the 
same  waters. 

I  have  also  at  times  reversed  the  order,  using  large  flies 
first  with  success,  then  changing  to  small  flies  with  no  suc- 
cess at  all,     .     .     .    not  even  a  small  trout  to  my  credit. 

A  circumstance  which  many  anglers  no  doubt  have  ob- 
served, is  a  large  trout  chasing  and  trying  to  catch  a  small 
trout  that  has  been  hooked,  and  is  being  played  by  the 
angler. 

At  such  times  the  large  trout  is  apparently  very  bold, 
and  frequently  comes  to  within  three  feet  of  the  angler 
if  he  be  wading  a  stream  or  within  two  feet  of  a  boat  or 
canoe,  if  he  is  fishing  on  a  lake.  This,  however,  does  not 
prove  anything  about  the  eyesight  of  the  trout  other  than 
the  eyes  of  the  trout  were  focused  upon  the  small  hooked 
fish  and  not  upon  the  angler.  And  as  proof  of  this  state- 
ment I  will  say  that  if  any  angler,  under  either  of  the  con- 
ditions cited,  will  simply  move  his  left  and  free  hand  over 
the  water  about  a  foot  the  large  trout  will  immediately  and 
quickly  make  for  deep  water,  indicating  that  up  to  that 
time  the  trout  had  not  seen  the  angler. 

As  some  proof,  at  all  events,  that  many  trout  are  keen 
of  vision,  I  will  cite  an  instance  that  happened  to  me  at 
Kennebago  Lake,  Maine,  during  the  season  of  1912. 

A  large  trout,  weighing  three  and  one-half  pounds, 

162 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

saw  my  fly  (a  silver  spot)  light  upon  the  water  thirty  feet 
away  from  where  he  was  lying  under  a  bank,  and  darted 
for  it  like  a  streak  of  lightning.  And  this  performance 
was  in  plain  sight.  Certainly  this  trout  had  keen  vision, 
otherwise  how  could  it  have  seen  the  fly  light  upon  the 
water  at  any  such  distance  as  thirty  feet,  and  this  particu- 
lar thirty  feet  was  a  measured  distance  made  immediately 
after  landing  the  trout. 

Judging  from  what  many  experienced  anglers  have 
to  say  upon  this  subject,  as  well  as  from  what  I  have  ob- 
served and  experienced  year  by  year,  it  seems  reasonable 
to  assume,  at  least  so  far  as  the  angler  is  concerned,  that 
trout  really  have  keen  eyesight,  and  that  it  is  only  made 
less  keen  by  circumstances  and  conditions. 

Doctor  James  A.  Henshall  aptly  says : 

"My  opinion,  founded  upon  numerous  experiments,  is  that 
fishes  see  and  hear  as  well,  in  and  through  the  medium  of  the 
water,  for  all  practical  purposes,  as  the  angler  does  through  the 
medium  of  the  atmosphere ;  the  clearer  and  more  rarefied  the  me- 
dium, the  clearer  and  greater  the  range  of  vision  in  both  in- 
stances." 

Another  authority,  Mr.  William  C.  Harris,  says: 

"There  is  no  question,  however,  as  to  the  high  development  of 
the  senses  of  sight,  taste  and  hearing  in  the  trout." 

As  to  whether  or  not  trout  can  distinguish  between 
different  colors,  I  believe  at  this  time  but  few  anglers  are 
of  the  opinion  that  they  cannot.  Anglers  of  wide  expe- 
rience should  know  full  well  that  trout  can  distinguish 

163 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

color  as  readily  as  they  can  the  artificial  from  the  real  fly 
after  it  is  taken,  although  an  entirely  different  sense  is 
brought  into  play. 

What  would  be  the  object  of  having  the  many  bril- 
liantly colored  flies  in  addition  to  the  white  as  well  as  the 
black  ones  if  the  trout  were  color-blind  ? 

Surely,  if  color  played  no  part  in  fishing  with  the  arti- 
ficial fly,  there  would  hardly  be  any  good  and  sufficient 
reason  for  the  manufacturers  of  such  flies  making  an  as- 
sortment, in  many  instances,  of  over  two  hundred  different 
patterns. 

If  trout  were  color-blind  then  one  fly  would  be  just  as 
good  and  just  as  successful  as  another,  the  question  of  size 
being  the  only  one  to  consider,  and  anglers  would  only 
have  to  carry  one  pattern.  But  where  will  you  find  the 
angler  who  is  content  to  have  but  one  pattern  or  one  par- 
ticular fly  in  his  book  when  going  trout  fishing? 

I  agree  with  Doctor  James  A.  Henshall  when  he  says : 

"It  is  often  the  case  that  those  anglers  who  are  most  strenuous 
in  their  theory  that  fish  are  near-sighted,  stultify  themselves  by 
carrying  a  large  and  most  varied  assortment  of  artificial  flies,  of 
all  shapes  and  colors  in  order  to  meet  the  'fastidious  taste'  of  the 
fish,  that  often  refuse  one  pattern  or  color  and  rise  eagerly  to  an- 
other, which  could  not  be  the  fact  were  they  near-sighted,  as  they 
believe. 

"We  can  surmise  that  fish  are  not  color-blind,  otherwise  there 
would  be  no  reason  for  the  beautiful  colors  that  many  male  fishes 
assume  during  the  breeding  season.  Fishes  are  possessed  of  keen 
vision,  and  possibly  have  the  faculty  of  distinguishing  colors  in  a 
fly,  even  when  on  a  fretted  surface,  where  to  our  eyes  they  are 
very  indistinct,  and  where  even  the  form  cannot  be  well  defined." 

164 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

After  all,  is  not  the  question  of  normal  eyesight  of  an- 
gler or  trout  one  which  is  governed  solely  by  conditions 
and  their  "viewpoint"  through  the  natural  medium  of 
each? 


THE    HEARING   OF   TROUT 

That  trout  have  the  sense  of  hearing,  or,  at  all  events, 
a  sense  that  is  an  equivalent,  and  that  it  is  fairly  well  de- 
veloped is  probably  true,  but  their  manner  or  means  of 
hearing  is  totally  unlike  that  of  mankind. 

Fish  have  an  internal,  but  no  external,  ear,  and  it  is 
remarkably  delicate  in  construction.  On  this  account 
sound  reaches  the  ear  of  a  trout  through  the  water  due  to 
vibrations  caused  by  concussion  and  the  concussion  is 
produced  from  jars  or  shocks,  either  upon  or  in  the  water 
and  from  the  earth  in  close  proximity. 

Scientists  tell  us  that  fish  are  incapable  of  hearing 
sound  produced  in  the  air,  but  to  what  extent  this  is  really 
true  is  a  question,  in  view  of  the  number  of  instances  that 
would  tend  to  discredit  this  statement. 

Water  as  a  medium  of  sound  is  very  dense,  while  air, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  not  so,  and  the  ear  of  a  trout  is  fash- 
ioned to  receive  sound  through  this  dense  medium  just  as 
the  human  ear  is  fashioned  to  receive  sound  through  the 
medium  of  the  air,  which  is  less  dense. 

Therefore,  it  is  a  safe  deduction  to  make  that  trout  can 
hear  better  in  the  water  than  they  can  out  of  it,  and  that 

165 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  human  ear  can  hear  much  better  out  of  the  water  than 
it  can  when  in  or  under  it. 

The  reason  being  that  both  ears,  so  differently  con- 
structed, were  so  constructed  for  a  well-defined  purpose; 
namely,  one  for  hearing  sound  in  the  water  and  the  other 
for  hearing  sound  in  the  air ;  but  the  capacity  for  hearing 
possessed  by  the  trout  must  not  be  judged  entirely  by  the 
hearing  possessed  by  mankind,  for  to  do  so  would  be  mani- 
festly wrong. 

That  trout  can  hear  sound  produced  in  the  air  within 
such  distances  of  the  water  as  the  air  will  transmit  the 
sound  waves  to  the  water  and  the  water  will  in  turn  take 
up  and  carry  them  to  the  trout,  is  undoubtedly  true,  pro- 
vided always  the  trout  is  within  the  zone  affected  by  the 
sound  waves  or  vibrations  produced  in  the  water. 

The  degree  of  sound  transmitted,  however,  is  another 
question  which  is  necessarily  governed  by  distance  and  the 
quality  and  quantity  of  sound  produced  in  the  first  in- 
stance. 

From  the  practical  standpoint  of  the  angler  it  is  a  safe 
statement  to  make,  that  trout  are  not  frightened  or  dis- 
turbed by,  and  do  not  hear,  people  talking  when  in  a  boat 
or  walking  along  the  bank  of  a  stream,  because  the  sound 
of  the  voice  cannot  possibly  reach  them,  even  if  they  are 
but  a  few  feet  from  the  water. 

This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  vibrations  of  the  air,  in 
the  form  of  sound  waves,  are  not  so  directed  as  to  strike 
the  surface  of  the  water  at  such  an  angle  as  effectively  to 

1 66 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

produce  sound  waves  through  the  dense  medium  of  the 
water. 

That  trout  can  hear  the  human  voice  under  certain 
conditions  is  quite  true,  such  as  when  a  person  leans  over 
the  side  of  a  boat  and  speaks  sharply  and  quickly  with  the 
face  parallel  with  the  surface  of  the  water,  then  trout,  if 
within  the  sound-affected  zone,  will  hear  and  become 
frightened  and  dart  for  deeper  water. 

This  is  a  forced  condition  and  one  seldom,  if  ever,  en- 
countered by  anglers,  or  any  one  else,  for  that  matter. 

By  what  means  sound  is  conveyed  to  the  internal  ear  of 
the  trout,  I  must  confess  I  do  not  know,  but  I  have  a  very 
strong  leaning  to  the  theory  that  sound  is  transmitted  to 
the  ear  of  the  trout  through  the  nerves  that  are  united  to 
the  base  of  each  scale  which  leads  to  a  large  ganglion, 
which  is  located  on  the  forehead  below  the  eyes,  and  which 
in  turn  is  connected  by  nerves  to  the  internal  ear. 

At  all  events,  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  trout  hear,  and 
hear  very  well,  under  natural  conditions,  whatever  the 
means  are  by  which  this  is  accomplished. 

This  is  what  William  C.  Harris  has  to  say: 


"This  sense  of  hearing  in  all  species  of  fish  is  a  matter  of  con- 
cussion on  the  surface  of  the  water.  Sit  motionless  in  a  boat,  and 
you  may  sing  'I  Won't  Go  Home  'Til  Morning,'  or  any  other 
gala  song,  to  the  extreme  high  limit  of  your  voices,  and  the  trout 
or  any  other  fish  will  remain  undisturbed,  but  scratch  your  toe 
upon  the  bottom  of  the  boat  and,  presto!  the  pool  is  as  dead  and 
barren  as  a  burned  prairie.  Approach  a  pool  from  over  the  bank 
with  a  careless  tread,  and  when  you  reach  it  the  trout  are  gone, 
none  know  where. 

167 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"Crawl  to  the  pool  noiselessly  on  all-fours  and  you  will  find 
your  trout  reposing  without  fear  of  danger.  The  avoidance  of 
concussion  is  the  great  factor  on  a  trout  pool  or  stream  in  getting 
a  satisfactory  creel.  Slide,  rather  than  step,  in  wading,  and  your 
success  will  be  greater." 


i68 


CHAPTER  X 
A   FEW   WORDS   ABOUT   CASTING   THE   FLY 

There  are  a  number  of  different  ways  of  casting  the 
fly  when  fly-fishing.    Some  of  the  principal  ones  are  the 

Overhead  or  Overhanded  Cast, 

Underhand  or  Underhanded  Cast, 

Wing  or  Horizontal  Cast,  and  the  Switch  Cast. 

As  the  Overhead  Cast  and  the  Wing  or  Horizontal 
Cast  are  the  ones  most  generally  and  effectively  employed 
in  this  country  no  other  casts  will  be  considered.  The 
principle  of  both  of  these  casts  is  the  same,  the  only  differ- 
ence between  them  being  that  the  Overhead  Cast  is  made 
over  the  head  of  the  angler  as  the  name  would  at  once  sug- 
gest and  the  Wing  Cast  is  made  horizontally  to  the  side 
of  the  angler. 

The  Wing  Cast  or  Horizontal  Cast  is  used  largely  on 
streams  when  the  Overhead  Cast  cannot  be  employed  suc- 
cessfully owing  to  trees,  bushes,  high  banks,  large  rocks, 
etc.,  being  so  situated  as  to  make  the  cast  unsafe  because 
of  the  danger  of  getting  the  line  hung  up  and  the  liability 
of  breaking  or  injuring  the  rod. 

In  fly-fishing  the  casting  of  a  line,  leader  and  fly  con- 

169 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

sists  of  two  separate  and  distinct  movements  called  the 
"forward"  and  "backward"  cast. 

The  "backward"  cast  is  made  by  a  backward  move- 
ment of  the  rod  toward  the  caster  and  with  sufficient  force 
to  send  the  line  with  the  leader  and  fly  straight  out  behind 
him. 

The  "forward"  cast  is  made  after  the  "backward"  cast 
has  been  completed  by  bringing  the  rod  to  the  front  of  the 
caster  with  a  wrist  movement  of  sufficient  force  to  carry 
the  line,  leader  and  fly  forward  of  the  caster  such  distance 
as  the  length  of  line  will  permit. 

The  "forward"  cast  is  the  one  that  places  the  fly  upon 
the  water  in  front  of  the  caster  and  the  "backward"  cast 
is  the  one  that  is  made  after  the  fly  has  been  played  by 
retrieving  the  fly  with  a  backward  movement  of  the  rod, 
which  makes  another  "forward"  cast  possible. 

The  principle  of  casting  involved  in  fly-fishing,  and 
the  physical  elements  that  are  brought  into  play  in  cast- 
ing, can  be  well  illustrated  by  comparing  the  rod  to  a 
"balanced"  railroad  crossing  gate. 

The  fulcrum  of  the  gate,  that  is,  the  pivot  upon  which 
the  gate  swings,  represents  the  hand  of  the  angler.  The 
long  arm  of  the  gate  represents  the  long  or  tip  end  of  the 
rod,  and  the  short  arm  of  the  gate  represents  the  short  or 
reel  end  of  the  rod. 

The  fulcrum  of  the  gate  is  a  fixed  point  as  should  be 
the  caster's  hand,  which  is  the  fulcrum  of  the  rod. 

The  long  and  short  ends  of  the  rod,  either  side  of  the 
caster's  hand,  should  balance  when  the  tip  of  the  rod  is 

170 


A.NGLER.  'S 
HAND 


IVATER       LEVEL 


WATER  LEVEL 


DIj\GRy^M     S 


ANGLBR'3 
HAND 


WATER         LEVEL 


WATER.  LEVEL 


DIAGRAMS  SHOWING  POSITION   OF   A   ROD   WHEN   MAKING   THE 
"FORWARD"  AND   "BACKWARD"   CASTS 


DIAGRAM  1: 

Diagram  i  shows  the  position  of  the  rod  at  the  beginning  of 
the  ''backward"  cast,  as  indicated  at  A^  and  the  position  of  the 
rod  at  the  ending  of  the  "backward"  cast,  as  indicated  at  B. 

B  also  indicates  the  position  of  the  rod  at  the  beginning  of 
the  "forward"  cast,  and  C  indicates  the  position  of  the  rod  at  the 
ending  of  the  "forward"  cast. 

A  —  C  indicates  the  distance  30°  (5.23  feet)  that  the  rod  is 
moved  in  the  act  of  playing  the  wet-fly. 

The  rod  is  shown  straight  in  order  that  the  beginner  may  real- 
ize what  its  position  would  be  if  it  was  stiff  and  had  no  flexibility. 


DIAGRAM  2: 

Diagram  2  also  shows  the  position  of  the  rod  at  the  beginning 
and  termination  of  the  "backward"  cast,  and  in  addition  the  curva- 
ture which  takes  place  in  the  rod. 

The  tip  of  the  rod  travels  from  A  to  B,  covering  an  arc  of 
60°  (10.47  feet),  while  the  end  of  the  butt  joint  only  travels  a 
distance  of  45°  (7.85  feet),  the  tip  of  the  rod  traveling  the  greater 
distance,  owing  to  the  spring  of  the  tip  and  middle  sections. 

When  the  "forward"  cast  is  made  the  tip  of  the  rod  travels  a 
distance  of  90°  (15.70  feet),  while  the  butt  joint  only  travels  a 
distance  of  80°  ^13.96  feet). 


NOTE: 

Independent  of  the  flexibility  of  the  rod  the  positions  A-B-C 
should  be  taken  as  the  extreme  ones  when  fly-fishing  on  lake  or 
stream. 

As  the  beginner  becomes  familiar  with  his  rod  and  his  cast- 
ing improves  he  can,  within  reasonable  limits,  increase  the  dis- 
tance he  plays  the  fly,  which  will  also  decrease  the  distance  of  his 
"backward"  cast,  and  he  may  at  times,  with  advantage,  decrease 
the  limit  of  his  "forward"  cast. 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

about  20  degrees  above  horizontal,  thus  bringing  the  butt 
of  the  rod  about  20  degrees  below  horizontal.  Such  a  bal- 
ance is  obtained  by  having  a  reel  of  the  proper  weight. 

In  order  to  cast  efficiently  and  well  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  on  the  "forward"  cast  that  the  tip  of  the  rod — 
irrespective  of  the  height  of  the  caster's  hand  from  the 
water — shall  not  go  below  a  point  that  is  15  degrees  above 
a  horizontal  line  established  by  the  height  of  the  casting 
hand. 

The  reason  for  this  is,  that  first,  the  fly  cannot  be  prop- 
erly landed  upon  the  water,  and,  second,  there  will  be  too 
much  slack  in  the  line  which  will  handicap  the  angler  in 
striking  a  fish. 

The  maximum  arc  of  a  circle  the  tip  of  a  fly-rod  should 
describe  when  casting  is  90  degrees  and  this  arc  begins 
15  degrees  above  a  horizontal  line  and  ends  15  degrees 
beyond  a  vertical  line  having  the  casting  hand  as  a  base. 

These  90  degrees  represent  the  maximum  distance  the 
tip  of  the  rod  should  travel  in  making  a  good  cast,  and  this 
includes  the  bend  of  the  rod  which  always  takes  place  in 
the  act  of  casting. 

The  arc  described  by  the  ferrule  end  of  the  butt  joint 
when  making  a  cast,  however,  is  only  about  80  degrees,  the 
difference  between  the  arc  of  the  tip  and  the  arc  of  the  butt 
joint,  which  is  10  degrees,  represents  the  distance  covered 
by  the  tip  due  to  the  bend  of  the  rod. 

In  other  words,  let  it  be  assumed  that  the  casting  hand, 
whether  the  angler  is  in  a  boat  or  working  a  stream  on 
foot,  is  four  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water.    Let  the 

171 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

hand  holding  the  rod  represent  the  height  of  a  horizontal 
plane  parallel  to  the  surface  of  the  water.  At  right  angles 
to  this  line  assume  another  line  that  is  vertical  to  it,  with 
its  base  at  the  caster's  hand.  These  two  lines  are  then  sepa- 
rated by  90  degrees,  and  if  each  is  10  feet  long,  the  length 
of  the  rod,  then  the  arc  described  by  the  tip  of  the  rod  is 
very  nearly  15.7  feet  in  length. 

This  represents  the  maximum  distance,  under  all  con- 
ditions, the  tip  of  the  rod  should  travel  when  casting  in 
order  to  make  a  respectable  cast.  The  tip  of  the  rod,  how- 
ever, should  not  be  brought  to  the  horizontal  line,  but  to  a 
point  15  degrees  above  it,  or  a  distance  of  very  nearly  2 
feet  and  6  inches  from  horizontal  or  6  feet  and  6  inches 
above  the  surface  of  the  water. 

As  all  this  applies  to  the  "forward"  cast  we  must  now 
consider  the  "backward"  cast,  which,  after  all,  is  of  far 
greater  moment,  because  upon  the  proper  execution  of  the 
"backward"  cast  depends  the  proficiency  of  the  "forward" 
cast. 

The  arc  of  the  circle  described  when  making  the 
"backward"  cast  is  much  shorter  than  in  the  "forward" 
cast,  and  this  is  due  to  the  playing  of  the  fly  after  the  "for- 
ward" cast  is  completed.  The  "backward"  cast  should 
begin  when  the  fly  has  been  played  and  retrieved  so  that 
the  ferrule  of  the  butt  joint  of  the  rod  has  reached  a  point 
of  50  degrees  above  horizontal  or  40  degrees  from  ver- 
tical. From  this  point  the  rod  is  brought  back  with  a 
quick,  snappy  motion  of  the  wrist  until  the  ferrule  of  the 
butt  joint  reaches  a  point  5  degrees  beyond  vertical,  where 

172 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  motion  is  stopped.  In  making  the  "backward"  cast  the 
ferrule  of  the  butt  joint  describes  an  arc  of  45  degrees;  the 
tip  of  the  rod,  however,  will  travel  further,  owing  to  the 
spring  of  the  rod,  which  is  about  15  degrees,  thus  making 
the  total  travel  of  the  tip  about  60  degrees. 

When  making  the  "backward"  cast  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  there  are  two  things  which  are  to  be  avoided. 
One  is,  the  fly  should  never  touch  the  water  and  the  other 
is,  the  fly  should  never  be  snapped.  When  the  fly  touches 
the  water  on  the  "backward"  cast  the  "forward"  cast  can- 
not be  as  well  executed  because  some  control  of  the  line  is 
thereby  lost.  When  the  fly  is  snapped  on  the  "backward" 
cast  the  strength  of  the  snell  or  leader  where  attached  to 
the  fly  is  impaired,  and  if  snapped  several  times  the  fly 
nearly  always  breaks  off  and  is  lost  or  it  gives  way  when 
a  fish  is  struck. 

A  very  important  feature  in  fly-casting,  if  not  the  most 
important  one,  is  to  have  control  of  the  line  at  all  times. 
The  greater  the  control  the  angler  has  of  the  line  the 
greater  will  be  the  results  attained,  and  the  better  line  will 
be  cast  under  the  many  varying  conditions  encountered 
when  fishing  upon  lake  or  stream. 

The  beginner  at  fly-fishing,  whether  fishing  the  wet  or 
the  dry-fly,  will  soon  learn  what  is  meant  by  the  "feel  of  the 
line"  which  should  be  constantly  present  under  all  condi- 
tions of  fly-fishing. 

This  sense  when  acquired,  as  a  general  thing,  marks 
the  turning  point  of  the  beginner  for  the  better  in  learning 

173 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  art  of  casting  and  it  is  usually  only  a  short  time  there- 
after before  he  can  cast  a  "fair"  line. 

The  extent  or  degree  of  curvature  which  takes  place 
in  any  rod,  when  casting,  depends  upon  how  much  force 
is  exerted  in  making  the  recovery  and  delivery  of  the  fly 
(the  "forward"  and  "backward"  cast)  and  also  upon  the 
character  of  the  rod.  If  it  is  a  very  flexible  rod  the  curva- 
ture will  be  considerable,  but  the  degree  of  curvature  in 
any  rod  naturally  is  in  proportion  to  the  stiffness  of  the 
different  joints. 

Remember  always  when  casting  that  the  line  must 
straighten  out  and  the  fly  must  go  just  as  far  back  of  the 
angler  on  the  "backward"  cast  as  it  goes  in  front  of  the 
angler  on  the  "forward"  cast,  otherwise  the  fly  will  fall 
short  and  a  bungling  cast  will  be  the  result.  Therefore,  it 
is  very  essential  to  see  that  there  is  a  sufficiently  large  and 
clear  space  behind  for  the  "backward"  cast  to  be  properly 
made,  and  this  should  be  done  before  the  angler  begins 
casting. 

The  natural  or  trained  ability  of  the  angler  determines, 
almost,  if  not  entirely,  the  distance  he  can  cast ;  but  in  wet- 
fly  fishing  the  mere  question  of  distance  or  length  of  cast  is 
of  little  real  importance. 

Under  no  circumstances  should  an  angler  cast  a  line 
such  a  distance  that  it  is  left  slack  after  the  fly  touches  the 
water,  except  in  dry-fly  fishing,  for  when  such  is  the  case 
the  ability  to  strike  a  rising  fish  is  materially  lessened. 

In  fly-fishing  there  is  what  is  called  the  "short  cast,"  the 
"medium  cast"  and  the  "long  cast"  and  under  ordinary 

174 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

conditions  found  on  all  kinds  of  fishable  trout  waters  these 
relative  casts  remain  the  same. 

A  "short  cast"  is  from  20  to  30  feet. 
A  "medium  cast"  is  from  30  to  40  feet. 
A  "long  cast"  is  from  40  to  50  feet. 

Anything  over  50  feet  is  a  "very  long  cast,"  but  such 
casts  are  seldom  attempted  by  experienced  wet-fly  fisher- 
men, because  they  realize  they  are  of  little  use. 

When  casting  the  dry-fly  there  is  but  one  requirement 
other  than  accuracy,  and  that  is  the  landing  of  the  fly 
upon  the  water  as  gently  and  delicately  as  possible  with 
the  fly  "cocked,"  because  the  movement  of  the  fly  should 
depend  entirely  upon  the  current  of  the  stream. 

This  is  not,  however,  the  case  when  casting  the  wet-fly 
so  far  as  having  the  fly  always  fall  upon  the  water  lightly, 
because  the  angler  fishes  the  fly  instead  of  depending  upon 
the  current  doing  so,  but  the  cast  should  not  be  poorly 
made  on  that  account. 

When  fishing  the  wet-fly  in  still  water  for  trout,  such  as 
is  found  in  large  pools  of  lakes  or  certain  pools  of  large 
streams,  extreme  lightness  or  delicacy  in  the  landing  of  the 
fly  upon  the  water  is  not  essential  for  success  if  one  is  fish- 
ing for  big  trout. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  if  big  fish  are  what  the  angler  is 
after,  it  is  a  decided  mistake  to  cast  a  very  light  fly  on  a 
pool  if  he  expects  to  be  successful  in  making  them  rise. 

For  many  years  I  have  noticed  when  fishing  various 
pools,  under  the  conditions  named,  big  fish  are  seldom 

175 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

made  to  rise  to  a  fly  that  is  cast  so  as  to  land  like  a  zephyr, 
because,  before  any  big  trout,  which  is  usually  lying  near 
the  bottom  of  the  pool,  can  get  to  the  fly,  even  if  he  sees  it, 
the  fly  has  been  taken  by  one  of  the  smaller  fish  near  the 
top  of  the  water. 

In  all  large  pools  there  are,  as  a  general  rule,  trout  that 
vary  greatly  in  size  from  small  to  very  large,  and  they  ar- 
range themselves  in  the  water  of  the  pool,  as  to  depth,  ac- 
cording to  their  size. 

The  big  trout  are  almost  always  to  be  found  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  pool  and  the  size  of  the  trout  decreases  as  the 
depth  of  water  decreases,  consequently  the  smaller  trout 
are  found  to  be  near  the  top  of  the  water. 

And  it  is  on  this  account  I  make  the  above  statement, 
having  proved  such  to  be  the  fact  from  long  experience 
and  careful  observation. 

This  same  condition,  however,  does  not  often  exist  in 
fast-running  streams  where  the  water  naturally  is  more 
aerated  and  the  trout  on  that  account  distribute  themselves 
differently,  hence  in  such  places  the  fly  should  be  cast  more 
lightly. 

The  experienced  angler  endowed  with  "fish  sense''  can 
generally  determine  when  unusual  conditions  in  "big 
pools"  make  it  wise  for  him  to  deviate  from  his  customary 
practice  and  fish  the  fly  more  lightly. 

A  knowledge  of  abnormal  conditions  is  generally  the 
result  of  close  observation  and  wide  experience,  and  no 
definite  rules  for  attaining  it  are  possible. 

In  running  water  trout  always  head  toward  the  cur- 

176 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

rent  or  up  stream,  except  when  going  with  the  current 
down  stream. 

All  trout  have  a  wide  range  of  vision  due  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  eyes  in  the  head  and  the  way  they  are  set.  The 
range  covers  very  nearly,  if  not  quite,  300  degrees  of  a 
circle,  with  the  greatest  vision  to  the  front  and  sides  and 
the  least  and  none  at  all  directly  to  the  rear. 

It  is  on  account  of  the  wide  range  of  vision  in  trout, 
together  with  the  fact  that  they  always  head  up  stream  or 
toward  the  current  that  dry-fly  advocates  and  some  wet- 
fly  anglers  have  insisted  that  the  proper  way  was  to  cast 
"up  stream"  whenever  it  was  possible  to  do  so. 

My  experience  leads  me  to  believe  that  no  hard  and 
fast  rule  can  be  made  and  observed  with  success  as  to  the 
direction  a  wet-fly  should  be  cast  when  fly-fishing.  There 
are  too  many  circumstances  and  conditions  which  have 
to  be  taken  into  account  to  say  absolutely  that  a  wet-fly 
should  always  be  cast  "up  stream,"  or  even  say,  as  a  gen- 
eral proposition,  it  should  be  so  cast. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  very  nature  of  dry-fly  fishing  is 
such  as  to  make  "up-stream  casting,"  as  a  rule,  "the  proper 
and  generally  accepted  way"  that  it  should  be  done. 

As  it  is  the  current  of  the  stream  and  not  the  angler 
that  "fishes  the  dry-fly,"  it  is  at  once  apparent  why  "up- 
stream" casting  gives  to  this  method  of  fly-fishing  its 
greatest  opportunity  for  success  due  to  the  longer  travel 
of  the  fly  upon  the  water  in  the  direction  the  trout  are 
heading. 

The  wet-fly  angler  who  fishes  by  rule  seldom  if  ever 

177 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

meets  with  much  success  because  it  is  the  "rule"  and  not 
the  "science  of  the  game"  which  claims  his  attention  and 
consequently  he  loses  much  of  the  real  "sport  of  an- 
gling." 

If  the  wet-fly  angler,  like  the  dry-fly  advocate,  feels 
that  he  must  fish  by  rule,  let  him  make  his  "little  book" 
from  knowledge  gained  by  personal  experience,  observa- 
tion and  study  of  the  many  conditions  that  are  encountered 
both  on  lake  and  stream  as  well  as  the  "ways  and  means" 
employed  by  successful  wet-fly  fishermen. 

If  he  will  observe  this  suggestion  I  feel  quite  certain 
that  his  "little  book"  of  rules  will  never  be  fully  written 
and  that  he  will  become  a  good  and  successful  wet-fly  an- 
gler without  having  any  set  rules  to  hamper  him. 


178 


CHAPTER   XI 
HOW   TO   FISH   THE   WET-FLY 

As  has  already  been  said  the  playing  of  the  fly  is  the 
most  important  element  in  wet-fly  fishing.  The  fly  can  be 
played  either  upon  the  surface,  just  below  the  surface,  or 
in  the  water  to  a  depth  of  four  to  eight  inches,  and  under 
certain  conditions,  even  to  a  greater  depth,  with  success. 

The  fly  or  flies  should  not,  however,  be  fished  so  deep 
in  the  water  that  the  swirl  of  the  trout,  which  takes  place 
immediately  before  the  strike  occurs,  cannot  be  seen,  for 
if  the  angler,  when  fishing  the  deep  fly,  waits  until  he  feels 
the  trout  before  striking,  he  will  almost  invariably  fail  to 
hook  his  fish,  because  the  trout  can  expel  the  fly  from  its 
mouth  much  quicker  than  the  angler  can  strike  and  set  the 
hook.  The  reason  for  this  is,  the  trout  has  but  a  very  short 
distance  to  move  the  fly  to  get  rid  of  it,  and  he  can  do  it  so 
quickly  and  forcibly  that  the  angler,  in  striking,  cannot 
hope  to  move  his  wrist,  rod,  line,  leader  and  fly  as  quickly, 
not  to  mention  taking  up  such  slack  as  there  may  be  in  the 
line  at  the  time  of  striking. 

In  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  such  cases  the  trout  has  ex- 
pelled the  fly  before  the  angler  can  act  after  he  is  aware  of 
the  fact,  from  the  feel,  that  a  strike  has  occurred.    There- 

179 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

fore,  on  both  stream  and  lake,  when  fishing  the  wet-fly, 
strike  when  the  swirl  takes  place  and  under  no  circum- 
stances wait  until  you  feel  the  trout  if  you  wish  to  hook 
your  fish. 

The  object  in  fishing  the  fly  is  to  attract  and  make  trout 
rise  to  it.  It  then  follows  that  it  should  be  done  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  deceive  and  make  them  believe  your  arti- 
ficial fly  is  something  good  to  eat. 

Whether  or  not  trout  take  artificial  wet-flies  because 
they  believe  them  to  be  natural  flies  no  one  can  positively 
know  as  a  fact.  The  very  best  the  angler  can  do  in  this 
direction  is  to  make  deductions  logically  from  what  he  has 
observed  during  his  experience. 

The  fly  should  never  be  played  against  the  current  of 
a  stream,  and  when  cast  "up,''  "across"  or  "down"  stream 
the  angler  should  guard  against  fishing  the  fly  by  jumps  as 
if  it  were  hurdling  the  ripples. 

The  best  way  is  to  cast  slightly  "up  and  across"  the 
stream  allowing  the  current  to  carry  the  fly  down  the 
stream  while  the  angler  plays  the  fly  diagonally  across 
the  stream.  Keep  the  fly  on  or  just  under  the  surface  of 
the  water  in  most  cases  and  always  make  a  recovery  for 
another  cast  just  before  the  fly  comes  to  a  full  stop  due  to 
the  straightening  of  the  line. 

In  some  large  pools  through  which  there  is  a  swift  or 
rather  swift  current,  with  slow  and  still  water  on  the  sides, 
the  best  success  is  attained  by  fishing  the  fly  on  either  side 
of  the  swift  current,  for  it  is  there  the  large  trout  are  gen- 
erally to  be  found. 

i8o 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Always,  and  by  this  I  mean  there  is  no  exception,  the 
fly  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  water  after  the  cast 
is  made  for  a  perceptible  length  of  time  before  it  is  played 
by  the  angler.  The  perceptible  time  should  be  of  longer 
duration  when  fishing  still  water  than  when  fishing  fast 
water  in  streams,  because  the  trout  that  are  to  be  attracted 
by  the  fly  are,  in  most  cases,  lying  still  or  slowly  moving 
in  deep  water. 

In  stream  fishing  it  is  a  mistake  to  fish  with  more  than 
one  fly  while  in  lake  and  still-water  fishing  two  flies  can 
often  be  used  to  advantage. 

When  two  flies  are  used  it  is  well  so  to  play  the  flies 
that  the  dropper  fly  will  touch  the  water  occasionally  and 
when  it  does  let  it  rest  for  a  second  or  so  before  retrieving 
it  further.  The  tail  fly  will  then  be  fished  about  one  to 
two  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  water. 

At  no  time  should  the  fly  or  flies  be  played  quickly  on 
or  through  the  water,  because  the  trout  should  be  given 
time  to  see  and  be  attracted  by  them,  which  will  not  be  the 
case  if  they  are  played  rapidly. 

When  the  fly  is  played  on  the  surface,  or  nearly  so,  it 
can  be  done  to  advantage  by  the  straight  backward  move- 
ment of  the  rod,  but  when  it  is  played  four  or  more  inches 
below  the  surface  it  is  better  to  play  it  with  a  side  and  up- 
ward movement  of  the  rod,  which  throws  the  broad  side 
of  the  fly  to  the  trout,  making  it  easier  for  the  trout  to  see, 
and  its  action  more  like  a  drowned  or  injured  real  fly. 

When  the  water  is  calm,  without  a  semblance  of  any 
kind  of  a  ripple,  I  have  found  the  best  success  to  be  ob- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

tained  by  fishing  the  fly  below  the  surface  of  the  water 
from  four  to  six  inches.  It  is  seldom  at  such  times  that 
trout  are  surface  feeders,  and  on  that  account  a  surface 
fly  does  not  seem  to  have  any  attraction  for  them. 

A  fly  under  the  surface,  played  broad  side  to  the  trout, 
often  causes  them  to  rise.  Why  this  is  the  case  I  am  unable 
to  say,  except  possibly  the  trout  think  they  can  get  the  fly 
with  less  than  the  ordinary  exertion. 

Remember  that  the  greatest  skill  is  shown  by  the  angler 
who  persuades  the  trout  to  rise  to  his  fly  when  they  are 
not  feeding,  and  it  is  then  he  experiences  the  greatest  pleas- 
ure and  satisfaction  if  success  rewards  him. 

The  saying,  "Oh!  He  is  a  lucky  fisherman!"  is  one 
that  beginners  as  well  as  old-stagers  at  fly-fishing  would 
do  well  to  discount  as  having  no  meaning  nor  significance 
for,  after  all,  SUCCESS  in  fly-fishing  is  not  a  question  of 
luck.  It  is  rather  the  result  of  judgment  and  knowledge 
in  knowing  how  to  select  the  proper  fly  for  the  particular 
occasion  and  then  knowing  how  to  place  and  play  it  so  as 
to  make  it  prove  most  attractive  as  well  as  acceptable  to 
the  trout. 

At  times,  when  trout  are  rising  to  food  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  it  is  a  very  good  plan  to  make  several  false 
casts  over  the  water  where  they  appear,  letting  your  fly 
come  to  within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  water  at  each  cast  and 
finally  landing  it  quietly  on  the  surface  and  playing  it 
very  slowly. 


182 


CHAPTER  XII 
HOW   AND   WHEN   TO    STRIKE    TROUT 

Experience  is  by  far  the  best  teacher  in  learning  how 
and  when  to  strike  a  trout  that  rises  to  your  fly  because  the 
personal  equation  of  knowledge  is,  after  all,  the  real  con- 
trolling factor  which  spells  success. 

Nevertheless  a  few  remarks  about  this  subject  may  not 
go  amiss  in  giving  a  general  idea  of  why  certain  features 
should  be  carefully  taken  into  consideration  as  to  how 
and  when  to  strike  the  rising  trout. 

When  speaking  about  the  striking  of  trout  the  two  ex- 
treme conditions  encountered  in  fly-fishing  are  probably 
best  stated  by  saying  that  one  is  stream  fishing  and  the 
other  lake  or  still-water  fishing. 

Trout  in  one  respect  are  like  people,  in  that  their  move- 
ments and  habits  are  to  a  great  extent  governed  by  their 
weight,  their  size  and  often  by  their  age. 

Of  the  several  species  of  trout  it  can  well  be  said  that 
the  natural  peculiarities  of  each  resemble  to  quite  a 
marked  degree  the  characteristics  of  some  of  the  different 
nationalities  of  the  world. 

Although  there  are  marked  differences  between  the 
various  trout  species,  yet  they  all  have  certain  character- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

istics  in  common  so  far  as  their  movements  are  concerned, 
and  these  should  be  carefully  observed. 

The  small  trout  is  generally  very  quick  and  rather 
headstrong  in  its  movements,  lacking  all  judgment,  and 
is  not  unlike  the  small-sized  youth. 

The  medium-sized  trouty  while  undoubtedly  quick  in 
many  of  its  movements,  is  decidedly  less  impetuous  in  ac- 
tion and  has  some  idea  of  what  he  is  doing,  more  like  a 
middle-aged  man. 

The  big  trout,  on  the  other  hand,  is  deliberate  and  com- 
paratively slow  in  its  movements,  usually  acting  with  con- 
siderable judgment  and  much  caution  and  resembles  more 
the  strong,  healthy,  elderly  man. 

It  is  on  account  of  just  these  marked  differences  in 
trout  that  it  is  necessary  to  study  "how  and  when  to  strike'* 
in  order  to  be  able  to  hook  and  land  them. 

Then  it  is  necessary  to  have  some  knowledge  of  the 
kind  and  size  of  trout  that  are  usually  caught  in  the  waters 
where  you  are  fishing. 

It  also  makes  a  great  difference  in  many  waters,  as 
well  as  the  time  of  season  the  fishing  is  done,  whether  the 
angler  should  strike  very  quickly  or  with  a  moderate  de- 
gree of  speed  or  with  what  might  be  called  a  "slow" 
strike. 

The  clearness  of  the  water  also  has  much  to  do  with 
determining  just  how  the  strike  should  be  made.  For  in- 
stance, with  a  quick,  snappy  rise  in  clear  water  the  angler 
can  hardly  strike  too  quickly,  while  on  the  other  hand, 
when  fishing  the  same  water,  if  it  is  roily,  the  strike  should 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

be  less  quick  because  the  rise  would  not  be  the  same.  In 
a  general  way  it  can  be  said : 

In  clear  water  and  snappy  rise,  strike  very  quick; 
in  roily  water  and  ordinary  rise,  strike  quick,  in  clear  or 
roily  water  and  slow  deliberate  rise,  strike  slow. 

When  fishing  a  lake  in  the  spring  more  fish  will  be 
hooked  by  striking  deliberately  and  slow,  irrespective  of 
their  size,  for  at  that  time  they  are  cold  and  much  less  ac- 
tive than  in  the  later  months  of  the  season. 

This  does  not  apply,  as  a  rule,  to  stream  fishing,  be- 
cause the  trout  are  in  more  aerated  water  and  are  more 
active,  but  this  fishing  comes  a  little  earlier  than  lake 
fishing. 

In  the  spring,  whether  fishing  on  lake  or  stream,  more 
success  will  be  had  by  using  larger  flies  than  those  gen- 
erally used  in  August  and  September,  because  the  eye- 
sight of  the  trout  is  not  then  so  keen. 

The  amount  of  force  that  should  be  used  when  strik- 
ing a  trout  is  something  that  each  angler  has  to  find  out 
for  himself  and  it  is  one  of  the  features  of  fly-fishing  that 
determines  to  a  large  extent  whether  the  angler  is  a  good 
or  poor  fly  fisherman. 

It  is  probably  true  that  more  anglers  strike  too  hard 
rather  than  not  hard  enough  and  that  more  fish  are  lost 
for  this  same  reason  than  any  other. 

So  many  different  things  govern  the  ability  of  an  an- 
gler to  strike  trout  successfully  that  it  is  easier  to  men- 
tion what  should  not  be  done  instead  of  what  should  be 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

done,  so  for  the  present  I  will  name  a  number  of  things 
it  is  well  "not  to  do"  when  striking: 

Do  not  get  nervous. 

Do  not  strike  with  an  arm  movement.  Let  the  force  come  en- 
tirely from  the  movement  of  the  wrist. 

Do  not  always  strike  with  the  same  degree  of  force,  for  if  you 
do  you  will  often  tear  the  hook  from  the  mouth  of  the  trout. 

Do  not  strike  with  a  force  that  is  greater  than  the  strength  of 
the  leader  or  snell. 

The  force  with  which  to  strike  a  trout  should  be,  in  a 
great  measure,  determined  by  the  amount  of  slack  there  is 
in  the  line  at  the  time  the  rise  takes  place. 

Within  reason,  the  greater  the  slack  the  greater  the 
force  should  be  that  is  put  into  the  strike.  When  the  fly 
is  fished  on  the  surface,  or  very  nearly  so,  less  force  is  re- 
quired than  when  the  fly  is  under  the  surface  from  six  to 
eight  inches.  It  goes  almost  without  saying,  that  small 
trout  under  all  circumstances  should  not  be  struck  as  hard 
as  medium-sized  or  large  trout.  It  is  from  the  character 
of  the  rise  that  the  angler  has  to  judge  the  size  of  the  trout 
and  the  amount  of  force  to  be  exerted  in  striking. 

Judgment,  "fish  sense"  and  experience  eventually  de- 
termine for  every  angler  the  force  required  to  strike  and 
hook  properly  the  trout  that  rises  to  his  fly. 

Fish  hooks  are  sharp,  very  sharp,  as  all  anglers  know 
from  experience  not  necessary  to  mention,  and  it  does  not 
take  a  tremendous  force  to  seat  a  hook  firmly  in  the  mouth 
of  any  trout,  be  it  large  or  small ;  but  on  the  other  hand, 
the  force  that  should  be  properly  applied  in  striking  a 

1 86 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

large  trout  would  lift  a  small  or  medium-sized  trout  out 
of  the  water  and  sometimes  land  it  in  the  boat  or  out  on 
the  bank. 

As  a  general  proposition  one  does  not  strike  as  hard 
when  fishing  fast-running  water  as  when  fishing  lakes  or 
slow-running  streams,  because  in  fast  water  the  fish  helps 
to  hook  itself,  especially  a  Brown  Trout. 

The  proper  striking  of  a  trout  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant elements  in  fly-fishing,  be  it  wet  or  dry,  and  the 
angler  who  cannot  strike  and  hook  the  trout  that  rise  to 
his  fly  without  yanking  them  out  of  the  water,  or  tearing 
the  hook  from  their  mouth,  or  repeatedly  breaking  lead- 
ers, is  not  a  good  fly  fisherman. 

And  this  remains  true,  no  matter  how  perfectly  he  may 
cast  or  how  well  he  may  play  his  flies.  Unless  he  can 
properly  strike  and  hook  his  trout  he  is  not,  as  I  have  said, 
a  good  fly  fisherman. 

Patience,  observation  and  experience,  if  properly  ap- 
plied, will  enable  any  angler  to  acquire  the  ability  of  strik- 
ing and  hooking  his  fish  under  most  conditions. 

Whether  or  not  to  "strike  from  the  reel"  or  from  a 
"hand-held  line''  is  one  that  has  been  discussed  by  an- 
glers for  many  years  and  perhaps  I  am  not  far  wrong 
when  I  say  it  still  is  quite  a  subject  of  conversation  among 
them  when  around  the  camp-fire  after  a  day's  sport  with 
the  rod. 

The  temperament  of  the  angler  and  his  ability  to  con- 
trol his  strike,  to  my  mind,  are  what  eventually  determine 
the  question  for  every  fisherman.     Personally  I  never 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

"strike  from  the  reel,"  and  do  not  advise  any  one  to  adopt 
this  method,  because  less  control  is  had  over  the  line,  like- 
wise the  fish,  and  therefore  much  of  the  pleasure,  as  well 
as  the  skill,  of  angling  is  lost  on  that  account. 

On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  F.  M.  Halford,  in  his  new 
book,  entitled  "The  Dry-Fly  Man's  Handbook,"  has  this 
to  say  upon  the  subject : 

"The  strike  must  be  made  with  sufficient  force  and  no  more. 
If  insufficient,  the  hook  will  not  penetrate  far  enough  to  hold  the 
fish  in  its  subsequent  struggles,  and  if  the  force  is  excessive  the 
gut  will  break  at  its  weakest  point,  and  leave  the  fly  and  possibly 
one  or  more  strands  of  gut  in  the  trout's  jaws.  The  angler  should 
acquire  the  habit  of  striking  from  the  reel,  i.  e.,  without  holding 
the  line  in  the  hand.  Many  old  fishermen  prefer  holding  the  line 
when  striking,  but  it  is  at  best  a  risky  proceeding,  and  too  likely 
to  result  in  a  breakage  of  the  gut." 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  Mr.  Halford  has  not  gone 
more  fully  into  this  subject  and  given  us  more  of  his  rea- 
sons for  striking  trout  from  the  reel. 

To  "strike  from  the  reel"  may  be  the  better  method  to 
adopt  when  dry-fly  fishing  on  English  streams  for  the 
Brown  Trout  (Salmo-fario),  and  unquestionably  there  is 
less  likelihood  of  breaking  a  fine-gut  leader  if  the  rod  is  in 
the  hands  of  an  inexperienced  angler,  but  does  it  not  re- 
quire greater  skill  for  the  angler  to  strike  and  land  his 
fish  from  a  "hand-held  line"? 

In  this  country  the  best  fly-fishing  anglers  almost  uni- 
versally have  given  up  the  "strike  from  the  reel,"  and  it  is 
because,  first,  actual  control  of  the  line  is  lost  for  a  certain 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

duration  of  time;  second,  the  line  must  be  necessarily 
slackened,  the  extent  of  which  is  determined  by  the  length 
of  line  run  off  the  reel  when  a  strike  is  made;  third,  a 
slack  line,  even  when  the  trout  is  well  hooked,  means  in 
most  cases,  especially  with  the  Brook  Trout  (Salvelinus- 
fontinalis),  its  loss. 

After  all  is  said  in  favor  of  either  method,  the  fact 
remains  that  the  proper  method  for  any  angler  to  adopt 
is  the  one  best  suited  to  his  own  peculiar  make-up,  and 
with  which  he  has  the  best  success.  For  the  truth  is,  that 
success,  and  success  alone,  must  determine  eventually  the 
ability  of  every  angler,  be  he  a  wet  or  dry-fly  fisherman. 


189 


CHAPTER   XIII 

WHEN    TO    FISH    DARK     AND    LIGHT-COLORED 

FLIES 

For  years  much  has  been  said  by  anglers  and  writers 
on  the  subject  of  fishing  about  the  use  of  different  colored 
flies  at  different  times  of  the  day.  They  have  agreed  fairly 
well  in  their  main  ideas,  which  are,  that  dark-colored 
flies  should  be  used  during  the  daytime  and  that  light-col- 
ored flies  should  be  used  in  the  early  morning  and  evening 
hours. 

They  have  not,  however,  differentiated  sufficiently  be- 
tween water  and  weather  conditions,  or  given  reasons,  to 
make  their  views  of  any  great  value  to  the  beginner  at  fly- 
fishing. 

As  a  general  proposition,  irrespective  of  the  waters  to 
be  fished,  the  angler  should  use  flies  that  the  trout  can 
most  quickly  observe  under  the  varying  conditions  above 
mentioned,  because  the  eyesight  of  trout  is  largely  gov- 
erned by  these  conditions. 

These  are  the  physical  conditions  that  exist:  as  the 
trout  are  in  the  water,  they  see  any  fly  presented  to  them 
on  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  a  few  inches  under  the  sur- 
face, through  the  medium  of  the  water.  The  distinctness 
with  which  they  see  the  fly  must  necessarily  depend  upon 
both  the  water  and  weather  conditions  existing  at  the  time 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  fly  is  displayed  and,  in  addition,  the  coloration  of  the 
fly  and  its  size. 

Therefore,  there  are  four  conditions  that  the  angler 
must  consider  whenever  fly-fishing  for  trout,  namely,  the 
condition  of  the  water,  the  condition  of  the  weather,  the 
color  of  the  fly  and  its  size,  in  order  to  select  one  or  more 
that  can  quickly  be  seen  by  the  trout. 

Bearing  in  mind  these  four  conditions,  let  us  now  con- 
sider what  element  it  is  that  enables  trout  to  see  any  fly, 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  under  different  conditions. 

If  the  background  is  dark  and  the  object  placed  against 
it  is  dark,  little  or  no  contrast  exists,  therefore  the  object  is 
not  distinct:  and  this  is  equally  true  if  against  a  light 
background  a  light  object  is  placed.  Consequently,  in 
order  to  get  a  distinct  outline  of  any  object,  the  back- 
ground which  brings  out  the  form  of  the  object  must  be 
of  marked  color  contrast  with  the  object. 

Then  is  not  the  element  which  brings  out  the  form 
and  coloration  of  the  fly  the  contrast  between  the  fly  and 
the  background,  and  is  not  this  background  the  surface 
of  the  water  and  the  sky  above? 

This  is  the  fundamental  principle  which  exists,  upon 
which  must  be  based  the  selection  of  the  color  of  the  fly 
which  will  be  most  clearly  visible  to  the  trout  with  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  backgrounds. 

As  a  basic  proposition  it  can  be  said  that  to  get  the 
greatest  contrast  between  a  dark  object  and  the  back- 
ground, the  background  should  be  light;  and  if  the  object 
is  light  the  background  should  be  dark. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

There  is  another  element  which  now  enters  into  the 
consideration  of  this  subject,  namely,  the  distance  from 
the  object  that  the  real  or  effective  background  is  located. 

The  real  background  is  always  the  sky-line;  but  the 
effective  background  varies  with  conditions,  the  most 
marked  variation  being  when  the  fly  is  under  the  surface 
of  the  water  four  or  more  inches ;  and  this  is  the  only  one 
it  is  necessary  for  the  angler  to  consider  in  relation  to  the 
subject  of  what  colored  flies  to  use  under  different  back- 
ground conditions. 

When  the  fly  is  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  just 
under  the  surface,  not  more  than  two  to  three  inches,  the 
background  can  be  taken  as  the  sky-line  above,  and  al- 
though the  background  is  made  more  or  less  effective  by 
conditions  it  is  too  nice  a  point  for  the  angler  to  take  into 
consideration. 

When  the  fly  is  under  the  surface  of  the  water  four  or 
more  inches  the  effective  background  may  be  either  the 
surface  of  the  water  or  the  sky-line  above,  depending  al- 
most entirely  upon  the  coloration  of  the  water  and  the 
weather  conditions. 

Let  me  say  here  in  relation  to  this  subject,  that  we  will 
consider  black  and  white  to  be  colors  and  that  they  rep- 
resent the  two  extremes  of  fly  and  background  coloration 
and  the  degree  of  coloration  diminishes  as  we  leave  the 
black  and  approach  the  white,  bearing  in  mind  the  while 
that  White  reflects  and  Black  absorbs  both  color  and  light. 

In  fly  coloration  the  White  Miller  represents  White 
and  the  Black  Gnat  represents  Black.    Place  the  White 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Miller  on  a  dead  black  background  and  the  Black  Gnat 
on  a  dead  white  background  and  you  have  a  condition  in 
each  instance  where  the  greatest  contrast  is  produced  and 
each  fly  is  most  defined.  Reverse  the  two  flies,  leaving  the 
two  backgrounds  as  they  are,  and  you  then  have  the  least 
contrast  and  each  fly  is  least  defined. 

From  these  facts  it  becomes  apparent  that  if  the  even- 
ing is  very  dark  and  overcast  the  light  fly  will  be  the  best 
defined  against  such  a  background,  and  it  is  equally  true 
that  the  dark  fly  will  be  the  best  defined  against  a  sky  back- 
ground that  is  clear  and  of  lightish  color. 

As  water  is  dark  in  color  when  compared  with  the  sky 
and  more  dense  than  the  atmosphere,  trout  at  all  times  dur- 
ing both  day  and  night  when  looking  toward  the  surface 
of  the  water  are  looking  from  a  darker  to  a  lighter  area. 
It  then  follows  that  the  fly  which  will  most  quickly  be  seen 
is  one  which  makes  the  greatest  contrast  with  the  back- 
ground. This,  I  think,  we  may  take  as  a  fact,  irrespective 
of  any  change  there  may  be  at  times  in  the  degree  of  dark- 
ness in  the  water. 

Following  this  principle  out  in  practice,  I  have  found 
that  dark  flies  get  more  rises  than  light  ones  during  the 
evening  hours,  except  on  very  dark  and  overcast  evenings 
when  the  lighter  flies  prove  more  successful. 

This  is  especially  true  with  dark  flies  that  have  silver 
bodies,  such  as  the  Silver  Doctor,  the  Silver  Spot  and  the 
Silver  Gnat;  and  this  is  undoubtedly  due  in  a  measure  to 
the  gleam  of  the  silver  in  the  water  when  the  flies  are  be- 
ing played. 

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JROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

One  reason  why  anglers  have  believed  that  light-col- 
ored flies,  such  as  the  White  Miller,  the  Coachman,  the 
Royal  Coachman,  the  Parmachenee  Bell,  the  Jenny  Lind, 
the  Professor  and  the  Yellow  Miller,  are  the  best  flies  to 
use  for  evening  fishing,  without  regard  to  conditions,  is 
because  they  can  best  see  these  flies  when  cast  upon  the 
water  and  they  assume  that  the  trout  can  do  likewise. 

They  evidently  have  not  stopped  to  consider  that  their 
seeing  the  flies  is  an  entirely  different  proposition  from  the 
trout  seeing  them  from  the  opposite  direction. 

In  the  first  instance  the  angler  is  looking  at  light  flies 
resting  directly  upon  a  dark  background,  while  the  trout 
are  looking  at  the  same  flies  against  a  much  lighter  back- 
ground which  is  a  long  distance  from  them. 

Remember  that  the  nearer  in  color  is  the  sky  back- 
ground, the  water  background  and  the  atmospheric  area 
between  them,  the  less  distinct  appear  all  objects  to  the 
trout  irrespective  of  color,  for  if  the  sky,  the  atmosphere 
and  the  water  were  all  to  have  the  same  dark  color,  then 
objects  on  or  in  the  water  could  not  be  seen  from  any  di- 
rection, no  matter  what  their  color. 

The  color  of  flies  to  use  at  certain  times  under  certain 
conditions,  in  the  main,  applies  equally  well  to  both  stream 
and  lake  fishing ;  the  very  light  fly,  however,  I  have  found 
to  be  less  effective  for  stream  fishing,  but  this  applies  to 
fast  running  water. 

When  the  fly  is  fished  under  the  surface  of  the  water 
four  or  more  inches,  the  effective  background  gradually 
changes  from  the  sky-line  to  the  water  line  as  the  light 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

above  the  water  diminishes.  The  sky-line  prevails  as  the 
background  as  long  as  the  water  and  sky  are  clear,  and 
there  is  good  light.  When  the  sky-line  is  dark  there  is  little 
light  for  the  water  to  absorb;  consequently  the  back- 
ground becomes  the  water  line  and  the  outline  of  the  fly 
is  made  against  the  water,  which  is  lighter  above  than  be- 
low the  fly. 

It  is  well  to  consider  the  flies  as  being  divided  into  three 
classes  of  color,  such  as : 

Light-Colored  Flies, 
Medium-Colored  Flies, 
Dark-Colored  Flies. 

The  Light-Colored  Flies  are  those  that  have  a  decided 
lightish  shade,  and  where  white,  light  blue,  light  gray  and 
light  yellow  predominate. 

The  Medium-Colored  Flies  are  those  that  are  more 
neutral  in  shade,  having  no  very  marked  leaning  to  either 
dark  or  light  colors. 

The  Dark-Colored  Flies  are  those  that  have  largely 
black,  dark  brown,  dark  green,  red  and  indigo  in  their 
make-up  and  their  general  aspect  is  of  a  dark  shade. 

The  many  fancy  patterns  of  colored  flies  should  be 
classed  as  medium,  although  some  belong  to  the  other 
classes. 

The  resume  of  all  that  has  been  said  in  connection  with 
my  experience  of  many  years  in  applying  the  principles 
I  have  advanced,  amounts  to  just  this : 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

WHEN  FISHING  WITH  FLIES  ON  OR  JUST  UNDER  THE  SUR- 
FACE OF  THE  WATER 

//  fishing  in  the  early  morning: 

Use  light-colored  flies,  independent  of  water  con- 
ditions, if  sky  is  very  overcast. 

Use  medium  or  dark-colored  flies  under  all  other 
conditions. 

//  fishing  in  the  daytime: 

Use  dark-colored  flies  when  the  water  is  calm  or 
there  is  a  slight  ripple  and  there  is  a  clear  sky  back- 
ground. 

Use  light  or  medium-colored  flies  when  the  water 
is  calm  or  there  is  a  slight  ripple  and  there  is  a  dark 
sky  background. 

Use  any  kind  of  fly,  light,  medium  or  dark  in 
color  when  the  water  is  rough,  irrespective  of  what 
the  background  may  be,  because  the  sky  background 
is  made  less  effective,  owing  to  the  absorption  of  light 
by  the  waves. 

If  fishing  in  the  evening: 

Use  dark-colored  flies  always  when  the  water  is 
calm  or  has  quite  a  ripple  and  the  sky  background  is 
blue  or  gray  in  color,  preferably  using  flies  with  silver 
on  the  body  or  those  having  large  bodies. 

This  selection  of  flies  also  applies  to  moonlight 
nights. 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Use  light-colored  flies  when  the  sky  is  very  dark 
and  overcast,  or  it  is  misty  or  rainy,  no  matter  what 
the  water  conditions  may  be  at  the  time. 

WHEN  FISHING  WITH  FLIES  FOUR  OR  MORE  INCHES  UNDER 
THE  SURFACE  OF  THE  WATER 

//  fishing  in  the  daytime: 

FUes  fished  under  the  surface  of  the  water  four 
or  more  inches  during  the  daytime,  when  the  sky  is 
clear,  should  be  dark  or  medium  in  color  and,  when 
the  sky  is  dark,  the  flies  should  be  light  in  color,  dis- 
regarding water  conditions  at  all  times. 

//  fishing  in  the  evening: 

When  fishing  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  it  makes 
very  little  difference  what  colored  flies  are  used,  for 
one  fly  is  as  good  as  another  and  just  about  as  well 
defined,  irrespective  of  their  color. 

The  following  list  of  flies  gives  an  idea  of  how  they 
should  be  classed  for  color : 


Light-Colored 

Medium-Colored 

Dark-Colored 

Flies 

Flies 

Flies 

White  Miller 

Queen  of  the  Water 

Black  Gnat 

Lady  of  the  Lake 

King  of  the  Water 

Black  June 

Coachman 

Professor 

March  Brown 

Gilt  Coachman 

Brown  Coughlan 

Montreal 

Royal  Coachman 

Royal  Governor 

Brown  Adder 

Deer  Fly 

Lake  Green 

Blue  Bottle 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Light-Colored 
Flies 

Fin  Fly 

Parmachenee  Bell 

Dorset 

Fern 

Beaverkill 

Gosling 

Jenny  Lind 

Neversink 

Reuben  Wood 

Sunset 

Yellow  May 

Yellow  Hackle 

Gray  Drake 

Blue  Dun 


Medium-Colored 
Flies 

Gray  Drake 

Hamlin 

General  Hooker 

Grizzly  King 

Camlet  Dun 

Light  Cow  Dung 

Cinnamon 

Beauty 

Alice 

Alder 

Abbey 

August  Dun 

Marston's  Fancy 

Hare's  Ear 


Dark-Colored 
Flies 

Dark  Stone 
Governor 
Cahill 
Great  Dun 
Hawthorn 
Prime  Gnat 
Orange  Black 
Carmen 
Furnace 
Wasp 

Silver  Gnat 
Silver  Spot 
Silver  Doctor 
Silver  Horns 


I  suggest  that  anglers  give  some  of  these  flies  "a  try- 
out."  It  costs  but  little,  and  may  prove  productive  of  suc- 
cessful results,  as  it  has  with  me ;  but,  at  all  events,  it  should 
have  some  little  element  of  interest  for  those  who  have  not 
already  applied  these  principles. 


198 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE    "EXPERT"   FLY  FISHERMAN 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  as  each  fishing  season 
comes  around  to  see  in  the  various  sporting  papers  that 
such  and  such  a  fly  fisherman  is  described  as  an  expert 
angler. 

In  some  cases  the  application  of  the  term  expert  is 
undoubtedly  properly  applied,  but  in  the  large  majority 
of  cases,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  it  is  used  with  little  or  no  judg- 
ment, and  frequently  with  absolutely  no  knowledge  of 
what  the  term  expert  fly  fisherman  really  means. 

So  much  has  been  said  upon  this  subject,  and  the  term 
expert  has  been  so  persistently  misapplied,  that  to-day  the 
large  majority  of  beginners  and  not  a  few  semi-expe- 
rienced anglers  have  come  to  believe  that  an  angler  who 
is  a  good  caster  must  naturally  be  an  expert  fly  fisherman. 

Nothing,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  could  be  farther  from  the 
truth,  because  a  good,  or  even  an  expert,  caster,  solely  as 
such,  is  not  and  never  can  be  an  expert  fly  fisherman. 

It  is  not  alone  by  casting  that  a  man  may  become  an 
expert  fly  fisherman,  nor  can  the  angler  who  only  plays 
his  fly  properly  or  the  one  who  excels  merely  at  playing 
the  fish  be  so  described.    The  true  expert  with  the  arti- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

ficial  fly  is  the  man  who  sacrifices  no  one  branch  of  his 
art  to  the  rest  (even  if  he  excels  particularly  at  some  one 
of  them),  and  by  a  skilful  use  of  them  all  is  able,  season 
after  season,  and  in  many  kinds  of  water,  to  catch  fish. 

You  will  note  when  you  read  books  on  fly-fishing  that 
most  writers  on  the  subject  seldom  use  the  word  "suc- 
cessful" in  connection  with  the  word  "expert." 

This  is  due  in  a  great  measure  to  the  fact  that  by  far 
the  larger  numbers  of  writers  are  not  anglers  of  much  ex- 
perience or  they  would  not  so  easily  fall  into  the  habit 
of  calling  all  good  casters  expert  fly  fishermen. 

It  will  sound  strange  to  many  anglers  when  I  say  that 
not  one  in  twenty  of  the  really  expert  fly-casters  is  a  really 
good  angler  with  the  fly  and  to  call  such  an  expert  is  in- 
deed a  misnomer. 

Do  not  accept  what  writers  have  to  say  upon  this  sub- 
ject as  "gospel  truth"  before  making  some  little  investi- 
gation for  yourself  if  you  are  desirous  of  becoming  a  suc- 
cessful fly  fisherman. 

In  the  large  majority  of  cases  the  expert  caster  and  the 
expert  fly  fisherman  are  two  distinct  beings,  so  much  so 
that  the  man  that  excels  at  either  art  is  practically  ex- 
cluded from  ever  excelling  at  both. 

The  fly-caster  seeks  to  excel  in  fly-casting,  and  he  takes 
his  pleasure  in  so  doing,  while  the  expert  fly  fisherman 
seeks  to  excel  in  catching  game  fish,  and  his  pleasure  is 
obtained  in  that  way. 

The  man  who  endeavors  to  perfect  his  casting  of  the 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

fly  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  elements  of  fly-fishing  will 
find  himself  sadly  unsuccessful  in  catching  game  fish. 

These  remarks  are  not  in  any  sense  directed  against 
the  fly-caster  or  any  one  who  desires  to  excel  in  some  one 
branch  of  fly-fishing,  because,  as  I  have  stated  in  a  previ- 
ous chapter,  casting  is  an  important  factor  in  wet-fly  fish- 
ing. My  intention  is  to  call  anglers'  attention  to  the  fact 
that  in  many  cases  the  term  expert  is  not  properly  and 
correctly  applied  by  writers  on  the  subject. 

I  have  little  patience  with  writers  who  seek  to  throw 
a  halo  around  the  art  of  fly-fishing  and  who  try  to  impress 
upon  the  beginner  at  fly-fishing  that  there  are  many  al- 
most insurmountable  obstacles  that  stand  in  the  way  of 
his  ever  becoming  a  good  fly  fisherman  unless  he  is  an  ex- 
pert caster  of  the  fly. 

This  is  because  it  is  unfair  in  the  first  place,  and  be- 
cause so  far  as  wet-fly  fishing  is  concerned  it  is  untrue  in 
the  second  place. 

There  is  nothing  analogous  between  being  a  good 
caster  and  a  good  fly  fisherman,  and  there  never  can  be 
so  far  as  wet-fly  fishing  is  concerned. 

Success  in  wet-fly  fishing  means  the  catching  of  game 
fish  wth  the  artificial  fly,  irrespective  of  what  element  or 
elements  of  fly-fishing  may  or  may  not  be  perfected  to  the 
expert  point  by  the  angler. 

If  an  angler  can  catch  game  fish  with  the  wet-fly  and 
he  can  do  so  consistently  year  after  year,  it  stamps  him  as 
a  successful  fly  fisherman,  but  it  does  not  stamp  him  as 
a  good  or  expert  fly-caster. 

20 1 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  successful  wet-fly  fisherman  as  such  must  neces- 
sarily cast  and  play  his  fly  in  such  a  manner  as  to  deceive 
and  attract  the  fish,  and  he  must  also  be  able  to  strike 
and  play  his  fish,  otherwise  no  results  could  possibly 
follow. 

This,  however,  does  not  mean  that  the  angler  must  be 
an  expert  caster,  an  expert  fisher  of  the  fly,  an  expert 
striker  of  the  fish,  or  an  expert  player  of  a  hooked  fish,  but 
it  does  mean  most  decidedly  that  he  is  good  in  all  of  these 
branches  of  wet-fly  fishing,  and  when  he  is  a  consistent 
performer  at  catching  game  fish  he  is  entitled  to  be  called 
an  expert  fly  fisherman. 

The  truth  of  what  I  have  said  can  be  verified  at  almost 
any  place  during  the  open  season  where  wet-fly  anglers 
congregate  on  either  lake  or  stream. 

There  are  really  two  classes  of  wet-fly  anglers,  the 
greater  and  the  lesser  experts.  Those  of  the  former  class 
are  the  anglers  who  can  catch  game  fish  consistently  on 
many  different  kinds  of  water,  and  the  lesser  experts  are 
the  anglers  who  can  only  catch  fish  on  certain  kinds  of 
water.  There  are  comparatively  few  anglers  in  the  first 
class,  while  there  are  quite  a  number  in  the  second  and 
lesser  class. 

Although  the  dry  and  the  wet-fly  angler  cannot  prop- 
erly be  judged  from  the  same  standpoint,  nevertheless  the 
principle  involved  in  determining  what  constitutes  an  ex- 
pert fly  fisherman  in  either  case  must  be  the  same. 

Dry-fly  anglers  are  somewhat  prone  to  consider  the 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

expert  dry-fly  fisherman  to  be  the  angler  who  can  cast  a; 
good  fly,  and  who  can  cause  the  fish  to  rise  to  it,  irre- 
spective of  whether  or  not  he  can  land  his  fish. 

This  idea  is  impressed  upon  me  when  I  read  from 
time  to  time  the  articles  written  by  them,  and  which  ap- 
pear in  many  of  our  sporting  papers. 

As  an  illustration  of  this  attitude,  I  will  mention  what 
a  well-known  angler  and  writer  on  the  subject  has  to  say 
when  speaking  about  dry-fly  fishing. 

"Having  prepared  a  gossamer  leader,  .  .  .  preferring  to 
risk  a  smash  to  not  getting  a  rise,  ...  I  dropped  the  small 
silver  sedge,  which  I  used,  because  it  could  be  more  plainly  kept 
in  sight,     ..." 

If  these  words  mean  the  idea  they  convey  to  me  then 
they  must  imply  that  this  angler-writer,  first,  was  fishing 
with  the  idea  of  making  the  fish  rise  to  his  fly ;  second,  with 
the  idea  that  he  was  fishing  with  a  leader  that  was  known 
to  be  so  light  and  lacking  in  strength  that  it  was  liable  to 
give  way  when  a  fish  of  any  size  was  struck  or  while  it 
was  being  played;  and,  third,  that  he  was  not  fishing  with 
the  idea  of  landing  his  fish. 

To  call  such  an  angler  an  expert  fly  fisherman,  al- 
though he  might  be  the  most  expert  of  casters,  is  certainly 
misapplying  the  term  in  the  extreme. 

Imagine  giving  any  angler  the  title  of  expert  fly  fisher- 
man, who,  before  ever  a  cast  is  made,  knowingly  selects 
such  a  weak  leader  that  it  is  liable  to  a  smash  if  a  fair- 

203 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

sized  fish  rises  to  his  fly,  and  who  says  in  so  many  words 
that  he  prefers  "a  smash  to  not  getting  a  rise." 

I  do  not  intend  to  convey  the  idea  that  this  very  writer 
is  not  an  expert  fly  fisherman,  but  I  do  say  most  emphati- 
cally that  if  his  words  express  his  idea  of  the  proper  use  of 
leaders  for  wet  or  dry-fly  fishermen  then  he  ought  imme- 
diately to  relinquish  all  claim  to  being  an  expert  fly  fisher- 
man, no  matter  how  well  he  can  cast  a  fly  or  how  success- 
ful he  may  be  in  causing  fish  to  rise  to  it. 

The  personal  pleasure  or  gratification  of  the  angler 
has  nothing  to  do  with  determining  whether  or  not  he  is 
an  expert  with  either  the  wet  or  dry-fly ;  but  no  one  has  the 
right  to  gainsay  how  he  shall  fish  or  derive  his  greatest 
pleasure  at  the  sport.  This,  however,  in  no  way  entitles 
any  angler  to  be  called  an  expert  fly  fisherman,  no  matter 
what  his  method  of  fly-fishing  may  be. 

Let  us  consider  this  matter  a  little  further  and  from 
another  viewpoint:  the  experienced  angler  who  is  an  ex- 
pert, or  even  one  who  is  not  an  expert,  ought  to  know  in 
the  large  majority  of  cases  how  hard  he  should  strike  with 
any  leader  he  elects  to  fish  with,  otherwise  of  what  use  to 
him  is  his  experience  at  the  game? 

If  in  a  number  of  instances  he  smashes  leaders  either 
when  striking  or  playing  his  fish  he  is  not  a  good  fly  fisher- 
man or  a  successful  one,  and  therefore  he  cannot  properly 
be  called  an  expert. 

The  real  expert  fly  fisherman,  be  he  a  wet  or  dry-fly 
angler,  is  not  the  man  who  deliberately  selects  a  weak 
leader  when  he  knowingly  is  about  to  cast  for  a  good- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

sized  fish ;  but  he  is  the  man  who  selects  a  leader  suitable 
for  the  work  he  intends  to  put  upon  it  and  one  that  will  not 
smash  if  well  handled  under  the  circumstances  and  condi- 
tions surrounding  its  use. 

The  expert  fly  fisherman  can  be  likened  to  the  old- 
time  machinist.  He  was  a  man  who  was  versatile,  having 
a  knowledge  of  mechanics  gained  from  a  well-rounded 
experience  which  brought  to  him  success  and  who  never 
knowingly  used  an  inferior  quality  or  strength  of  ma- 
terial for  a  given  piece  of  work. 

The  so-called  expert  fly  fisherman  of  to-day,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  to  be  likened  to  the  one-machine  man  who 
can  do  only  one  thing  well,  but  this  latter  is  not  a  ma- 
chinist any  more  than  an  expert  caster  is  an  expert  fly 
fisherman. 

By  all  means  and  at  all  times,  give  credit  where  it  is 
due,  but  give  it  properly  and  to  the  point ;  for  instance,  call 
the  angler  what  he  really  is,  not  something  he  is  not. 

If  he  is  a  good  caster,  a  good  fisher  of  the  wet-fly,  a 
good  player  of  a  hooked  fish,  or  a  good  lander  of  fish,  call 
him  so,  and  if  he  excels  in  any  one  or  more  of  these 
branches  of  fly-fishing  by  all  means  call  him  an  expert  in 
these  branches. 

But  do  not  call  any  angler  who  excels  in  any  one  or 
more  of  the  branches  an  expert  fly  fisherman  unless  he  is 
a  successful  fisherman  with  the  fly  and  is  a  consistent  per- 
former season  after  season;  otherwise  you  will  be  mis- 
applying the  word  "expert." 


205 


CHAPTER  XV 
HOW   TO   MAKE   YOUR   OWN   LEADERS 

For  the  angler  who  has  the  inclination  and  oppor- 
tunity it  will  prove  a  pleasant  pastime  for  him  to  make  his 
own  leaders,  and  within  a  comparatively  short  time  he 
can  learn  to  make  leaders  that  will  be  superior  and  more 
reliable  to  any  which  he  can  purchase  and  at  much  less 
cost. 

Leaders  are  made  from  drawn  silkworm  gut  and  the 
things  that  are  necessary  to  learn  in  order  to  be  able  to 
make  good  leaders  are : 


How  to  select  the  silkworm  gut. 

How  to  prepare  the  gut  for  tying. 

How  to  handle  the  gut  when  making  a  leader. 

How  to  tie  the  gut  strands  into  a  leader. 

How  to  tie  end  and  dropper  loops. 

How  to  dry  the  new  leader. 

How  to  test  the  new  leader. 

How  to  color  the  new  leader. 

How  to  preserve  leaders. 


How  to  select  the  silkworm  gut: 

When  buying  drawn-silkworm  gut  for  leaders,  select 
the  very  best  and  be  sure  to  get  new  gut  free  from  imper- 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

fections,  otherwise  you  will  have  hard  luck  in  making 
your  leaders  no  matter  how  well  they  are  tied. 

In  speaking  of  how  to  select  silkworm  gut,  I  cannot 
do  better  than  quote  from  that  versatile  and  expert  fly-fish- 
erman, Mr.  Henry  P.  Wells,  who  states  as  follows  on  page 
103  in  his  great  book,  entitled  "Fly-Rods  and  Fly- 
Tackle": 

''The  features  to  be  sought  are  good  color,  a  hard,  wiry  tex- 
ture, roundness,  even  diameter  from  end  to  end  and  length.  From 
these  are  to  be  inferred  the  strength  and  wearing  quality  of  the 
gut,  which  are  what  we  wish  to  estimate. 

"From  the  color  we  infer  whether  the  gut  is  fresh  or  stale,  its 
probable  strength  in  relation  to  its  thickness,  and,  in  part,  its  wear- 
ing quality.  In  all  these  respects  fresh  gut  is  superior  to  old  gut 
of  original  equal  quality. 

"The  color  can  best  be  judged  from  the  fuzzy  end  of  the  hank, 
and  should  be  clear  and  glassy,  and  by  no  means  dull  or  yellowish. 
The  wearing  quality  of  the  gut  may  be  judged  partly  by  its  color, 
partly  by  its  springiness  when  bent  and  released,  and  also  by  its 
hardness.    It  should  feel  like  wire." 

Silkworm  gut  can  be  purchased  in  hanks  of  one  hun- 
dred strands,  white  in  color  or  in  packages  of  twenty-five, 
fifty,  and  one  hundred  strands,  that  have  been  selected  for 
grade  and  dyed  mist  color.  My  advice  to  the  amateur 
leader  maker  is  to  buy  the  latter-mentioned  kind  of  gut, 
for,  in  the  long  run,  better  results  will  be  obtained,  unless 
great  study  and  care  is  given  to  the  matter  of  selecting  the 
white  gut  in  hanks  and  the  dyeing  of  the  same. 

Even  when  selected  gut  is  used  it  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance to  see  that  the  strands  are  regraded  for  size  by 

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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

passing  each  strand  between  the  thumb  and  the  middle 
finger.  You  will  generally  find  that  at  least  ten  per  cent., 
or  ten  strands  of  the  hundred  purchased,  will  have  to  be 
discarded  as  unfit  for  use,  and  that  the  ninety  per  cent., 
or  ninety  strands  remaining,  will  have  to  be  divided  into 
two  grades,  in  the  proportion  of  thirty  medium  and  sixty 
heavy,  provided  you  have  bought  heavy  gut. 

In  selecting  gut  for  leaders,  whether  light,  medium,  or 
heavy,  discard  any  that  is  twisted  or  cracked,  retaining 
only  round  gut  free  from  visible  defect. 

How  to  prepare  the  gut  for  tying: 

After  the  gut  has  been  graded,  to  prepare  it  for  mak- 
ing into  leaders,  it  should  be  softened  by  soaking  in  water 
from  one  to  two  hours,  preferably  in  water  the  tempera- 
ture of  which  is  between  seventy-five  and  one  hundred  de- 
grees Fahrenheit,  in  order  to  get  the  required  softness  or 
pliability  of  the  gut. 

I  would  not  advise  using  water  over  one  hundred  de- 
grees, although  some  leader  makers  use  water  only  a  little 
below  the  boiling  point,  or,  say,  two  hundred  degrees. 

The  greater  heat  will  soften  the  gut  more  quickly,  but 
will,  in  my  opinion,  weaken  it  and  make  the  leader  liable 
to  give  away  where  it  is  tied. 

The  gut  will  also  have  a  tendency  to  "rough-up"  on 
the  surface  of  the  strands  when  handled  in  making  the 
leader,  and  especially  so  when  tying  and  pulling  the 
strands  to  set  the  knot. 

Avoid,  then,  very  warm  water,  but  allow  sufficient  time 

208 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

for  softening  the  gut  so  that  it  will  have  become  properly 
pliable  before  using. 

How  to  handle  the  gut  when  making  a  leader: 

When  handling  gut  that  has  been  soaked  in  water  for 
a  sufficiently  long  time  to  make  it  soft  and  pliable,  great 
care  should  be  observed  not  to  kink,  twist  or  bend  short  a 
single  strand.  If  this  happens,  and  it  will  at  times,  the  in- 
jured strand  should  at  once  be  destroyed  so  as  to  prevent 
any  possibility  of  its  getting  into  a  leader  by  mistake. 

The  soaked  strands  out  of  which  a  leader  is  to  be  made 
should  always  be  kept  in  the  water  until  used,  otherwise 
the  gut  will  not  all  be  of  the  same  softness  and  pliability 
which  is  of  so  much  importance  in  accomplishing  good 
results. 

Before  removing  any  strand  from  the  water  just  prior 
to  tying  it  into  the  leader  be  sure  to  run  your  fingers  over 
it  from  end  to  end  to  see  that  it  is  clean  and  free  from  all 
grit. 

How  to  tie  the  gut  strands  into  a  leader: 

There  are  a  number  of  knots  that  can  be  used  in  the 
making  of  leaders,  but  the  three  knots  in  general  use  are 
the  single  water  loop  knot,  the  double  water  loop  knot,  and 
the  single  hitch  or  single  surgeon's  knot. 

All  of  these  knots  are  good  and  serviceable  if  prop- 
erly tied,  but  the  single  water  loop  knot  naturally  is  not  as 
strong  as  the  other  two  if  all  are  equally  well  tied.  It  is, 
however,  of  ampl^  strength  for  all  practical  purposes. 

209 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

In  tying  the  single  water  loop  knot  take  two  strands 
of  gut,  hold  them  end  to  end,  then  lap  them  about  two 
inches.  Now  take  the  lapped  strands  between  the  thumb 
and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  holding  them  near  the  left- 
hand  end  of  the  lap.  With  the  right  hand  take  the  free 
end  of  the  left-hand  strand  and  make  a  loop  around  the 
straight  right-hand  strand,  passing  the  end  through  the 
loop  thus  made,  being  sure  to  pull  the  loop  tight. 

After  this  is  done,  reverse  the  strands,  end  for  end, 
and  make  exactly  the  same  loop  with  the  other  free  end 
strand.  After  these  two  loops  are  made  take  hold  of  the 
two  long  ends  of  the  tied  gut  and  pull  the  two  loops  to- 
gether, being  sure  to  jerk  the  gut  sufficiently  to  set  the 
finally  completed  knot  so  that  it  cannot  slip. 

The  short  gut  ends  on  each  side  of  the  knot  can  then  be 
cut  off  close  to  the  knot  with  a  curved  pair  of  scissors. 

The  double  water  loop  knot  is  made  in  exactly  the 
same  way  as  the  single  water  loop  knot,  except  two  loops 
instead  of  one  are  made  around  the  straight  part  of  the 
gut  strands. 

The  single  hitch  or  single  surgeon's  knot  is  a  very 
simple  one,  but  one  that  requires  considerable  care  and 
experience  to  make  well,  because  if  not  properly  made  it 
will  slip  and  on  that  account  become  useless.  This  knot 
is  made  by  first  lapping  the  gut  strands  about  two  inches 
in  just  the  same  way  as  when  making  the  water  loop  knots. 

Having  lapped  the  strands,  this  is  followed  by  making 
one  complete  loop,  keeping  the  strands  parallel,  and  then 
passing  both  ends,  the  short  and  the  long,  through  the 

2IO 


DOUBLE       SURGEON'S       KNOT    PLATE    A 


^ 


FIC^.    3 


'SIhfGLE.      SUHGr^ON'S      KNOT 


^ 


FIG.    3 


LEADER  KNOTS 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

loop.  After  this  is  done  the  loop  is  pulled  tight,  being 
sure  that  an  even  strain  comes  on  the  four  strands,  and 
the  knot  is  then  complete  and  the  short  ends  of  gut  can 
be  cut  off. 

Personally,  I  use  the  single  water  loop  knot  and  the 
single  surgeon's  knot,  but  very  seldom  the  double  water 
loop  knot  as  it  is  not  possible  to  tie  this  as  small  as  either 
of  the  other  two. 

How  to  tie  end  and  dropper  loops: 

There  are  several  kinds  of  knots  that  can  be  used  in 
tying  end  and  dropper  loops  on  leaders,  but  I  am  satisfied 
that  both  loops  can  be  thoroughly  and  well  tied  by  the 
use  of  the  single  surgeon's  knot,  and  for  years  I  have  used 
no  other  kind  of  knot  for  this  purpose. 

It  is  the  "common"  knot  used  by  many  leader  makers 
for  end  loops,  and  it  is  criticised  by  some  because  they  say 
the  pull  is  not  a  direct  one,  and  it  is  claimed  that  "one 
strand  of  gut  is  liable  to  cut  the  other." 

This  is  probably  true  in  a  sense,  and  essentially  so  if 
the  knot  is  poorly  or  hurriedly  made ;  but  if  properly  made 
it  will  stand  a  much  greater  strain  than  should  ever  be 
placed  upon  it  when  in  use. 

The  end  loops  are  made  by  simply  doubling  over  about 
two  inches  of  the  end  gut  strand,  then  making  a  complete 
loop,  passing  the  bent-over  end  through  the  loop  and  pull- 
ing the  loop  tight,  leaving  the  end  loop  thus  made  as  long 
as  desired. 

A  dropper  loop  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  the  knot 

211 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

used  for  tying  the  gut  strands  into  a  leader,  except  that  one 
strand  is  doubled  over  just  as  is  done  when  making  an  end 
loop. 

How  to  dry  the  new  leader: 

After  a  leader  is  made,  put  it  to  soak  for  half  an  hour, 
so  that  the  entire  leader  may  become  equally  pliable 
throughout  its  length. 

Having  selected  some  convenient  place  for  drying  the 
leader,  such  as  a  side  wall  of  a  room  or  better  yet  a  pine 
board  made  for  the  purpose  that  is  twelve  inches  wide  and 
ten  feet  long,  planed  on  both  sides,  with  small  brass  hooks 
one  inch  apart,  placed  at  one  end  of  the  board. 

Now  pass  one  of  the  end  loops  of  the  leader  over  one 
of  the  brass  hooks,  then  gently  pull  the  leader  straight 
with  sufficient  force  so  as  to  make  a  slight  tension  on  the 
leader  from  end  to  end.  Now  secure  the  free  end  of  the 
leader  to  the  board  by  passing  a  large  pin  or  small  brad- 
awl through  the  remaining  end  loop. 

Keep  the  leader  in  this  position  until  thoroughly  dry, 
then  take  down  and  coil,  being  sure  to  keep  the  leader 
straight  while  so  doing. 

How  to  test  the  new  leader: 

Leaders  should  be  tested  both  when  wet  and  dry,  in 
order  to  know  their  real  durability  and  strength.  Take 
a  dry  leader  and  place  one  end  loop  over  a  brass  hook, 
then  straighten  out  the  leader,  being  sure  that  it  is  not 
twisted.    Through  the  other  end  loop  place  the  hook  of 

212 


KNOTS     USED      IN    J^AKINCJ^       Ji.EADER-5 
SINGLE    WATERIOOP     KNOT PLATE  B 


=^ 


F/G.     3 


4(&s^ 


DOUBLE  WATERLOOP  KNOT 


^ 


FIG.     2 


riG.      3 


«&! 


=^^ 


LEADER   KNOTS 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

a  standard  spring  balance  scale  and  pull  steadily  and 
slowly  until  the  scale  shows  that  a  pull  of  three  pounds  is 
being  exerted,  provided  it  is  a  heavy  or  medium  leader 
that  is  being  tested.  If  it  is  a  light  leader,  do  not  exert  a 
pull  of  over  two  pounds.  If  the  leader  has  not  given  way 
under  this  pull,  you  can  assume  for  the  time  being  that  this 
particular  leader  is  good  for  the  pounds-pull  exerted. 
Now  take  this  leader,  after  carefully  coiling  same,  and 
soak  it  in  water  just  as  it  comes  from  the  faucet  until  it 
is  pliable.  This  will  take  about  an  hour,  then  test  the 
leader  as  before,  only  this  time  you  will  put  a  gradual 
pressure  on  the  leader  until  it  breaks,  noting,  of  course, 
at  what  pounds-pull  it  gave  way.  Again  soak  the  leader, 
after  cutting  off  about  an  inch  of  each  end  of  the  gut  where 
it  gave  way,  for  a  little  while,  then  tie  the  two  parts  to- 
gether. Test  it  again  up  to  four-fifths  of  its  breaking 
strength,  and  if  it  holds  set  it  up  to  dry. 

When  dry,  tag  it  the  pounds-pull  at  which  it  broke, 
coil  and  place  in  an  oil  paper  envelope.  The  coiled  leader 
should  not  be  less  than  three  and  one-half  inches  in  diame- 
ter and  four  inches  is  much  better. 

How  to  color  the  new  leader: 

Personally,  I  am  a  believer  in  coloring  the  finished 
leader,  not  the  separate  strands  of  gut  out  of  which  the 
leader  is  made,  because  my  experience  and  experiments 
have  convinced  me  that  better  results  are  thus  obtained. 

Leaders  can  be  given  almost  any  kind  of  color  with  hot 
dye,  and  the  color  can  be  made  fast  to  a  greater  or  less  ex- 

213 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

tent,  usually  the  faster  the  color  the  weaker  the  leader  is 
made,  owing,  in  a  great  measure,  to  the  heat  of  the  dye 
and  the  length  of  time  consumed  by  the  process.  There 
are,  in  my  judgment,  just  two  leaders  to  use,  the  white 
and  the  mist,  the  former  requires  no  coloring,  while  the 
latter  does. 

The  mist-colored  leader,  to  my  mind,  is  the  best  color 
to  use,  and  it  can  be  made  any  shade  from  very  light  to 
very  dark,  depending  entirely  upon  the  desire  of  the  an- 
gler, and  without  much  detriment  to  the  gut. 

The  shade  of  the  mist-dyed  leader  depends  only  upon 
the  length  of  time  it  remains  in  the  solution,  provided  it 
is  properly  prepared  in  the  first  place. 

Before  dyeing  a  leader  mist  or  any  other  color  the 
leader  must  first  be  thoroughly  washed  or  wiped  to  re- 
move all  dirt  and  any  oily  or  greasy  film  that  may  be  on 
the  gut.  This  can  best  be  done  with  a  piece  of  clean 
chamois  and  ninety-five  per  cent,  pure  alcohol.  After  the 
leader  has  been  cleaned  it  should  be  soaked  in  cool  water 
for  at  least  one-half  hour,  then  taken  out  and  pressed 
gently  between  two  pieces  of  cotton  cloth  to  remove  all 
surface  moisture.  After  this  it  should  be  submerged  at 
once  in  the  cold  coloring  fluid  until  the  proper  shade  is 
obtained.  Either  Arnold*s  or  Stafford's  writing  fluid  can 
be  used  as  the  dye,  and  I  have  found  little  if  any  choice  be- 
tween them,  as  both  answer  better  than  other  dyes,  with  less 
bad  effect,  than  any  I  have  been  able  to  discover. 

To  make  the  proper  dye  solution,  take  one  pint  of 
Arnold's  or  Stafford's  writing  fluid,  pour  it  carefully  into 

214 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

a  two-quart  china  or  enameled  ware  pitcher,  avoiding,  as 
far  as  possible,  getting  any  sediment  into  the  pitcher,  if 
there  is  any.  To  the  fluid  in  the  pitcher  add  a  full  pint  of 
clear  cold  water  (not  ice  water),  now  stir  the  ink  and 
water  with  a  clean  white  pine  stick  or  paddle,  afterward 
strain  the  solution  through  at  least  four  thicknesses  of 
cheesecloth.  The  dye  is  now  ready  to  receive  the  leader 
that  is  to  be  dyed,  and  it  is  better  to  suspend  the  leader  in 
the  solution  in  such  a  way  that  it  can  be  raised  from  time 
to  time  so  that  the  effect  of  the  dye  upon  the  leader  can 
be  observed. 

When  washing  the  leader  taken  from  the  dye  great 
care  must  be  observed  to  remove  all  of  the  free  dye  cling- 
ing to  the  leader,  and  this  is  best  accomplished  by  using 
three  sets  of  cool  water.  After  washing,  press  the  leader 
between  two  cotton  cloths  to  remove  all  moisture,  then 
stretch  the  leader  out  to  dry,  preferably  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  will  not  come  in  contact  with  anything  except  the 
hooks  that  hold  it  at  each  end.  When  the  leader  is  thor- 
oughly dry,  take  it  down,  coil  and  put  it  away  to  be  tested 
in  about  a  week  in  the  manner  already  described. 

Any  number  of  leaders  can  be  dyed  at  the  same  time. 
It  is  my  custom  to  dye  about  twenty  with  one  solution. 

How  to  preserve  leaders: 

All  silkworm  gut  leaders,  when  they  are  dry,  are  best 
preserved  by  keeping  them  in  a  dark  place.  They  should 
be  stored  where  they  will  not  touch  each  other  and  where 
they  will  not  be  subjected  to  any  great  artificial  heat. 

215 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

During  the  winter  months  or  the  closed  season  for  fly- 
fishing leaders  can  be  absolutely  protected  from  deteriora- 
tion by  placing  them  in  a  large  mouth  jar  of  95  per  cent, 
pure  alcohol. 

The  jar  should  have  a  tight  cover  to  prevent  evapora- 
tion, and  it  should  be  kept  in  a  dark  place  or  covered  with 
a  black  piece  of  cloth.  When  the  leaders  are  submerged 
in  alcohol  it  does  not  make  any  difference  if  they  do  touch 
each  other,  as  no  injury  to  them  will  result. 


216 


LEADER        DR.OPPER        LOOP       PLATE      C 


-::> 


r/c.    s 


LEADER.        END         LOOP 


r/-G.    a 


LEADER  KNOTS 


CHAPTER  XVI 
TROUT  FLY-FISHING  IN  THE  RANGELEY  REGION 

The  Rangeley  Region  is  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
Maine.  It  comprises  a  section  in  which  are  located  the 
lakes  and  headwaters  of  the  Androscoggin  River. 

They  are,  starting  at  the  extreme  northern  point  and 
working  south,  the  Seven  Ponds,  the  upper  section  of 
Kennebago  Stream,  Little  Kennebago  Lake,  through 
which  Kennebago  Stream  runs,  the  middle  section  of  Ken- 
nebago Stream,  which  connects  with  Kennebago  Lake, 
and  then  continues  south  to  Kennebago  Falls,  where  the 
middle  section  of  the  stream  ends. 

Continuing  south  from  Kennebago  Falls  there  is  the 
lower  section  of  Kennebago  Stream,  which  joins  Range- 
ley  Stream,  which  stream  connects  Rangeley  Lake  with 
Cupsuptic  Lake.  Then  comes  Mooselucmaguntic  Lake, 
Upper  Richardson  Lake,  Lower  Richardson  Lake,  and 
Umbagog  Lake,  the  last-named  emptying  into  the  An- 
droscoggin River. 

In  addition  to  these  lakes  there  is  Parmachenee  Lake, 
which  is  to  the  northwest  of  Cupsuptic  Lake  and  located 
about  parallel  with  Little  Kennebago  Lake  and  separated 
from  it  by  West  Kennebago  Mountain  and  Cupsuptic 

Stream. 

217 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Parmachenee  Lake  empties  into  the  Magalloway 
River,  which  in  turn  runs  into  the  Androscoggin  River 
at  Umbagog  Lake. 

Besides  the  lakes  and  streams  mentioned  there  are  a 
number  of  small  lakes  and  streams  connected  with  the 
larger  ones,  in  all  of  which  there  is  good  fly-fishing  to  be 
had  for  the  Brook  Trout. 

Even  at  this  late  date  comparatively  little  is  really 
known  about  this  remarkable  portion  of  Maine,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  much  has  been  written  about  the 
fly-fishing  to  be  had  there. 

Anglers  who  fish  almost  exclusively  in  the  streams  of 
New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  within  easy  reach  from  New 
York  City,  have  little  or  no  knowledge  of  the  wonderful 
sport  on  lake  and  stream  that  is  to  be  had  in  this  region. 
These  anglers,  in  many  instances,  have  been  prone  to  call 
fly-fishing  in  Maine  waters  "wilderness  fishing,"  and  have 
rather  assumed  the  attitude  that  little  skill  was  required 
to  catch  the  trout  found  in  these  waters. 

Such  an  assumption,  however,  is  far  from  the  truth, 
as  these  anglers  would  quickly  realize  if  they  were  to 
take  just  one  fishing  trip  to  any  of  the  many  good  trout 
waters  found  in  the  Rangeley  Region  and  elsewhere  in 
the  State  of  Maine. 

It  is  true  that  this  region  has  been,  and  is  being,  more 
civilized  year  by  year,  and  some  of  the  charms  of  wild  life 
are  disappearing  slowly  but  surely,  yet  for  a  long  time  to 
come  nature  lovers  and  anglers  will  find  many  places 
where  they  can  enjoy  the  best  of  sport  on  stream  and  lake 

218 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

away  up  among  the  mountains,  and  where  real  health  and 
strength,  in  addition  to  the  best  of  fly-fishing,  are  to  be 
found. 

In  the  "Rangeley  Lakes,''  which  consist  of  Rangeley 
Lake  (Oquassoc  Lake),  Cupsuptic  Lake,  Mooselucma- 
guntic  Lake,  the  Upper  Richardson  Lake  (Welokeneba- 
cook  Lake),  the  Lower  Richardson  Lake  (Molechunke- 
munk  Lake),  and  Umbagog  Lake  and  the  streams 
connecting  and  running  into  them,  no  other  fish  than  the 
Brook  Trout  and  land-locked  Salmon  are  found,  except 
four  varieties  of  fish  upon  which  the  trout  and  salmon 
feed.  These  four  varieties  are  the  Chub,  the  Sucker,  the 
Minnow  and  the  small  "Blue-Back"  trout,  and  on  this  ac- 
count fly-fishing  has  an  added  pleasure. 

The  angler  in  these  waters  is  not  restricted  to  fly-fish- 
ing, as  the  law  permits  him  to  bait-fish  and  troll,  but  it  is 
sincerely  hoped  that  before  many  years  go  by  bait-fishing 
for  trout  and  land-locked  salmon  will  be  done  away  with, 
by  law  if  necessary,  but  preferably  by  the  education  of  the 
anglers  themselves. 

The  best  section  of  the  Rangeley  Region  for  fly-fish- 
ing, considering  everything  from  the  angler's  viewpoint, 
is  Kennebago  Lake,  Little  Kennebago  Lake,  the  upper 
Kennebago  Stream  and  the  Seven  Ponds.  In  all  these 
waters  there  are  but  four  varieties  of  fish,  all  told.  They 
are  the  Brook  Trout,  the  land-locked  Salmon,  the  Smelt 
and  the  Minnow,  the  two  latter  varieties  furnishing  the 
food  for  the  two  former. 

Fishing  on  Kennebago  Stream  below  the  Falls  and  in 

219 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

this  last-named  section  is  restricted  entirely  to  fly-fishing 
with  the  artificial  fly,  which  naturally  keeps  this  method 
of  fishing  "at  par"  year  after  year. 

The  Fish  and  Game  Commission  of  the  State  of  Maine 
is  doing  great  work  in  preserving  the  fishing  all  over  the 
State,  and  especially  in  the  Rangeley  Region,  by  stock- 
ing the  waters  yearly  and  by  having  wise  laws  passed  by 
the  Legislature  restricting  the  number  of  trout  and  salmon 
that  shall  be  killed  in  one  day  by  one  angler. 

All  the  waters  so  restricted  are  well  watched  by  fish 
wardens,  and  the  guides,  in  almost  every  instance,  see  to 
it  that  their  patrons  observe  the  laws. 

It  is  only  fair,  however,  to  say  that  nowadays  and  for 
a  few  years  past  anglers  have  seldom  intentionally  broken 
the  laws,  for  they  are  beginning  to  realize  that  "their 
sport,"  if  it  is  to  be  perpetuated,  must  be  carried  on  with 
judgment,  and  that  game  fish  should  not  be  needlessly  or 
wantonly  killed. 

The  laws  do  not  restrict  the  fly-fishing  angler,  in  cer- 
tain places,  from  catching  in  numbers  both  trout  and 
salmon.  They  simply  restrict  the  number  he  shall  catch 
and  kill  in  one  day. 

This  is  a  wise  law,  because  the  angler  is  not  deprived 
of  the  pleasure  of  catching  fish  by  the  number  of  fish  he 
may  legally  kill,  and  the  fish  that  are  caught  on  the  fly  and 
returned  to  the  water  are  seldom  hurt. 

For  a  number  of  years  I  have  carefully  studied  and  ob- 
served the  fish  and  the  fly-fishing  conditions  in  Kennebago 
Stream,  both  above  and  below  the  Falls  and  in  the  upper 

220 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Rangeley  Region  section,  and  my  experience  has  been  that 
of  the  trout  or  salmon  caught  on  the  fly  and  immediately 
returned  to  the  water  not  more  than  one  out  of  an  hun- 
dred dies  even  after  being  weighed. 

At  present,  1914,  the  law  permits  one  angler  to  kill 
in  one  day  two  fish  caught  on  the  fly  in  the  stream  below 
Kennebago  Falls  and  to  kill  ten  fish  caught  on  the  fly 
above  the  Falls  and  in  the  waters  of  the  upper  section. 

It  is  with  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  that  I  am  able  to 
say  that  few  sportsmen  (be  they  tyros  or  experienced  an- 
glers) when  fishing  these  waters  avail  themselves  of  the 
privilege  of  killing  their  legal  number  of  fish  a  day.  This 
condition,  in  a  modest  way,  I  have  in  some  degree  helped 
to  bring  about  with  the  aid  of  the  guides.  It  is  the  excep- 
tion, not  the  rule,  to-day  that  the  angler  kills  his  legal  limit. 
On  the  other  hand,  he  saves  no  more  fish  than  he  wants  to 
eat  or  desires  to  have  mounted  or  preserved  for  scientific 
purposes. 

In  what  I  have  called  the  upper  Rangeley  Region  sec- 
tion, but  more  especially  in  Kennebago  Lake,  Little  Ken- 
nebago Lake  and  the  upper  section  of  Kennebago  Stream, 
is  to  be  had  the  finest  of  trout  fly-fishing. 

In  these  waters  the  trout  range  in  weight  from  one- 
quarter  of  a  pound  to  four  pounds,  and  it  is  not  unusual 
in  the  early  Spring  and  during  the  month  of  September 
to  catch  trout  weighing  up  to  five  pounds  actual  weight. 

Trout  have  been  caught  weighing  seven  pounds,  and 
it  is  an  established  fact  that  there  are  many  such  fish  in 

221 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

these  waters,  but  they  seldom  rise  to  the  fly  of  even  the 
most  expert  of  fly  fishermen. 

But  the  fact  alone  that  these  "big  trout"  are  there  and 
are  seen  "rolHng"  is  sufficient  to  make  the  ardent  angler 
fish  for  them  both  early  and  late  with  the  hope  that  some 
time  he  will  induce  one  of  them  to  take  his  fly. 

And  when  the  time  comes  he  will  have  one  of  the 
greatest  pleasures  of  his  life,  short  in  a  sense,  but  lasting 
from  half  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half,  depending  upon 
the  fighting  qualities  of  the  trout. 

These  "big  trout"  are  slow  but  steady  fighters,  as  a 
rule,  and  it  does  not  do  for  the  angler  who  has  one  of  them 
on  his  hook  to  try  and  land  him  in  a  hurry  if  he  has  any 
wish  to  net  him. 

And  here  let  me  impress  upon  all  sportsmen  that  the 
proper  method  of  landing  a  trout,  no  matter  how  large 
it  may  be,  is  with  the  net  and  never  with  the  gaff.  Do  not 
degrade  yourself  in  the  eyes  of  others  and  in  your  own 
estimation,  if  you  are  a  high-minded  fly-fishing  sportsman, 
by  thrusting  the  barbarous  gaff  into  the  body  of  "the  most 
beautiful  fish  that  swims,"  the  Salvelinus-Fontinalis. 

Large  trout,  even  those  that  weigh  up  to  ten  and  twelve 
pounds,  can  be  successfully  netted  with  the  proper-sized 
net,  a  little  care  and  a  reasonable  amount  of  judgment. 
The  judgment  is  displayed  in  not  trying  to  net  the  fish  be- 
fore the  proper  time,  which  is  after  it  has  been  played  to 
such  an  extent  that  it  has  turned  on  its  side  or  is  under  ab- 
solute control. 

,When  speaking  of  fly-fishing  in  the  entire  Rangeley 

222 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Region  and  particularly  in  the  upper  section,  there  is  one 
subject  that  must  not  be  overlooked,  and  that  is  the  guides. 

These  guides  are  licensed  and  registered,  and  are  a 
most  remarkable  lot  of  men.  They  are  in  most  cases  skil- 
ful fishermen,  willing  workers,  courteous  and  obliging  to 
a  degree,  patient  with  their  patrons  under  trying  circum- 
stances, and  they  know  where  and  how  to  fish  on  lake  and 
stream  at  all  times. 

The  guides  of  this  section  are  largely  natives  and  come 
from  families  where  the  fathers  and  grandfathers  before 
them,  in  many  cases,  have  been  guides.  So  it  is  not  strange 
that  they  know  their  business  of  guiding,  and  know  it  well, 
and  nearly  always  have  the  "fish  sense"  well  developed. 
In  addition,  they  are  such  efficient  boatmen  and  powerful 
canoeists  that  any  angler  (male  or  female)  is  absolutely 
safe  in  their  hands. 

When  fishing  Kennebago  Stream  below  the  Falls  (the 
lower  section  of  the  stream) ,  it  is  compulsory  for  the  an- 
gler to  have  a  guide,  and  he  must  fish  in  the  presence  of 
this  guide. 

On  all  other  waters  it  is  not  compulsory  to  employ  z 
guide ;  but  if  the  angler  wishes  to  have  the  best  sport  and 
obtain  the  greatest  amount  of  pleasure  and  success,  a  guide 
is  essentially  desirable  and  absolutely  necessary  if  the 
waters  are  to  be  properly  fished. 

The  open  season  in  Maine  begins  when  the  ice  goes 
out  of  the  lakes  in  the  Spring  and  lasts  until  the  first  day 
of  October  in  each  year,  except  in  a  few  places  where 
special  restrictions  are  imposed  by  law. 

223 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

All  through  the  Rangeley  Region  the  angler  can  find 
good  camps  at  which  to  put  up  where  the  food  is  good  and 
plentiful,  and  where  guides  are  to  be  obtained,  as  a  rule. 

Board  at  the  camps  costs  from  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  day, 
but  special  rates  can  be  obtained  for  a  stay  of  a  week  or 
more.  Boats  or  canoes  cost  50  cents  per  day,  or  $3.00  if 
hired  by  the  week.  It  costs  $3.00  per  day  for  a  guide,  and 
the  angler  has  to  pay  for  the  guide's  board,  which  varies 
from  $1.00  to  $1.25  per  day,  depending  upon  the  camp. 

If  two  anglers  go  together,  then  the  cost  of  the  guide, 
his  board  and  the  cost  of  the  boat  or  canoe  can  be  cut  in 
half. 

Provided  that  anglers  can  afford  it,  the  better  way  is 
for  each  angler  to  have  his  own  guide  and  boat,  because 
in  this  way  greater  pleasure  and  success  are  to  be  had 
while  fishing. 

After  having  fished  many  waters  in  the  States  where 
the  Brook  Trout  is  to  be  found  in  streams  and  lakes,  and 
having  fished  the  Rangeley  Region  for  years,  and  more 
especially  the  upper  section,  both  in  the  Spring  and  Fall, 
I  am  prepared  to  say  without  reservation  that  there  is  no 
place  in  the  United  States  which  offers  to  the  angler  such 
wonderful  fly-fishing  for  the  Speckled  Beauty,  and  where 
they  are  so  plentiful  and  grow  to  such  a  great  size  as  in 
the  Rangeley  Region  of  Maine. 


224 


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CHAPTER  XVII 
WET-FLIES   USED    IN   VARIOUS    STATES 

Some  years  ago,  about  1890,  Mr.  Charles  F.  Orvis,  of 
Manchester,  Vermont,  wrote  to  many  anglers  in  the 
United  States,  asking  them  for  their  views  as  to  the  fa- 
vorite or  successful  flies  used  by  them  in  fishing  the  waters 
of  their  State. 

A  number  of  replies  were  received  and  were  published 
in  1892  by  Mary  Orvis  Marbury,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Orvis, 
in  her  book  entitled  "Favorite  Flies,"  and  she  geographic- 
ally classified  them  therein. 

In  order  that  the  angler  reader  can  more  readily  ascer- 
tain the  favorite  and  successful  flies  of  any  State  men- 
tioned, I  have  tabulated  the  flies,  giving  the  name  of  the 
State,  the  number  of  letters  received  from  each  State,  the 
number  of  different  flies  named  and  the  number  of  times 
each  fly  is  mentioned. 

There  is  also  a  list  of  the  126  different  flies  arranged 
alphabetically  mentioned  by  the  124  anglers. 

There  are  two  recapitulations.  One  showing  the  total 
number  of  flies  mentioned  and  the  different  flies  men- 
tioned in  each  State ;  the  other  giving  the  order,  the  names 
of  the  twelve  most  popular  or  favorite  flies,  the  number  of 

225 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

States  in  which  each  fly  is  mentioned  and  the  number  of 
times  each  fly  is  mentioned. 


Names  of  States 

Maine 

[New  Hampshire  and 
[Vermont 

Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut 

New  York 

New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania  and 
Delaware 

^  [Virginia  and 
[West  Virginia 


and  Groups  of  States 

7 

Michigan 

8- 

Minnesota  and 

Wisconsin 

9 

Montana 

lO 

Colorado 

II 

Washington 

12 

California 

13 

Oregon 

H 

Wyoming 

15 

Arizona 

i6 

Nevada 

226 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

MAINE 

Letters  Received  from  17  Anglers 
Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies               Times  Mentioned 

1  Montreal  14 

2  Silver  Doctor  10 

3  Parmachenee  Bell  9 

4  Brown  Hackle  7 

5  Grizzly  King  5 

6  Professor  5 

7  Scarlet  Ibis  5 

8  Red  Ibis  3 

9  Blue  Jay  3 

10  White  Miller  3 

11  Yellow  May  3 

12  B.  Pond  2 

13  Jenny  Lind  2 

14  Jungle  Cock  2 

15  Toodle  Bug  2 

16  Quack  Doctor  2 

The  following  28  flies  were  mentioned  only  once : 

Reuben  Wood  Richardson 

Royal  Coachman  Bumble  Bee 

Golden  Pheasant  Seth  Green 

Tinseled  Ibis  Webster 

Black  Hackle  Hamlin 

Yellow  Sally  Hill  Fly 

Yellow  Moose  Red  Hackle 

Lord  Baltimore  Prouty 

Magalloway  Nameless 

Tim  Pond  Bemis 

Coachman  New  Lake 

Cabinet  Portland 

Cow  Dung  Abbey 

Queen  of  the  Water  Black  Gnat 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  44. 

227 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


VERMONT  and  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 

Letters  Received  from  8  Anglers 


Order  of 

Nun 

iher  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Times  Mentioned 

I 

Coachman 

3 

2 

Grizzly  King 

3 

3 

Professor 

3 

4 

Black  Gnat 

3 

5 

Alder 

2 

6 

Seth  Green 

2 

7 

Fin  Fly 

2 

8 

White  Miller 

2 

9 

Grasshopper 

2 

lO 

Brown  Hackle 

2 

rhe  following 

12  flies  were  mentioned  only 

once: 

Blue  Jay 

Scarlet  Ibis 

No  Name 

Leadwing  Coachman 

Parmachenee  Bell 

Black  Hackle 

Governor 

Royal  Coachman 

Gray  Hackle 

Coch-y  Bonddu 

Brown  Hen 

Hackles 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  22. 


228 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

MASSACHUSETTS, 
RHODE  ISLAND  and  CONNECTICUT 

Letters  Received  from  8  Anglers 


Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Times  Mentioned 

I 

Coachman 

3 

2 

White  Miller 

3 

3 

Montreal 

2 

4 

Yellow  May 

2 

5 

Scarlet  Ibis 

2 

6 

Red  Hackle 

2 

7 

Silver  Doctor 

2 

8 

Parmachenee  Bell 

2 

9 

Grizzly  King 

2 

The  following  ii 

:  flies  were  mentioned  only 

once: 

Black  May 

Perch 

Fly 

Red  Spinner 

Silver 

King 

Alder 

Raven 

Brown  Hackle 

Black  Prince 

Jenny  Lind 

Royal 

Coachman 

Polka 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  20. 


229 


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NEW   YORK 

Letters  Received  from  24  Anglers 


Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Times  Mentioned 

I 

Coachman 

II 

2 

Brown  Hackle 

9 

3 

Professor 

7 

4 

Green  Drake 

5 

5 

Grizzly  King 

5 

6 

Queen  of  the  Water 

4 

7 

Red  Ibis 

4 

8 

Cow  Dung 

4 

9 

Governor 

4 

10 

Montreal 

4 

II 

Beaverkill 

3 

12 

Black  Gnat 

3 

13 

Reuben  Wood 

3 

14 

Ginger  Hackle 

3 

15 

Black  Hackle 

3 

16 

Seth  Green 

3 

17 

White  Miller 

3 

18 

Orange  Miller 

3 

19 

Silver  Doctor 

2 

20 

Van  Patton 

2 

21 

Scarlet  Ibis 

2 

22 

Royal  Coachman 

2 

23 

Quaker 

2 

24 

Alder 

2 

The  following  14  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Yellow  Professor  Blue  Professor 

Magpie  Babcock 

Griffith  Brown  Hen 

Gov.  Alvord  Proctor  Fly 

Soldier  Palmer  Blue  Jay 

Romeyn  Davidson  Hackle 

Brown  Palmer  Claret 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  38. 

230 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


PENNSYLVANIA. 
NEW  JERSEY  and  DELAWARE 

Letters  Received  from  lO  Anglers 


Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies               Times  Mentioned 

I 

Queen  of  the  Water 

5 

2 

Coachman 

4 

3 

Cow  Dung 

4 

4 

Grizzly  King 

3 

5 

Silver  Doctor 

2 

6 

Polka 

2 

7 

Stone  Fly 

2 

8 

Black  Gnat 

2 

9 

Yellow  Sally 

2 

The  following 

12  flies  were  mentioned  only 

once; 

Professor 

Jenny  Lind 

Bright  Fox 

Brown  Palmer 

Hamlin 

Montreal 

Seth  Green 

King  of  the  Water 

Red  Fox 

Bishop 

Gray  Hackle 

Lord  Baltimore 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  2i. 


231 


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VIRGINIA  and  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Letters  Received  from  lO  Anglers 


Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies               Times  Mentioned 

I 

Queen  of  the  Water                6 

2 

All  Hackles                            6 

3 

Coachman                               4 

4 

White  Miller                           4 

5 

Black  Gnat                             3 

6 

Cow  Dung                              2 

7 

Montreal                                 2 

The  following 

10  flies  were  mentioned  only  once : 

Jock  Scott 

Lord  Baltimore 

Green  and  Gold 

Red  Ibis 

Blue  Dun 

Professor 

Yellow  Fly 

Scarlet  Ibis 

The  Owner 

Royal  Coachman 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  17. 


232 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


MICHIGAN 

Letters  Received  from  8  Anglers 

Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Times  Mentioned 

I 

Coachman 

6 

2 

Professor 

5 

3 

Hackles 

3 

4 

Yellow  May 

2 

5 

Black  Gnat 

2 

6 

Cow  Dung 

2 

7 

Grizzly  King 

2 

8 

Silver  Doctor 

2 

9 

Bee 

2 

10 

Scarlet  Ibis 

2 

The  following  8  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Seth  Green 

Widow 

March  Brown 

Gray  Miller 

Fire  Fly 

Royal  Coachman 

White  Miller 

Montreal 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  i8. 


233 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


MINNESOTA  and  WISCONSIN 

Letters  Received  from  4  Anglers 

Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies  Times  Mentioned 

1  Brown  Hackle  2 

2  Montreal  2 

The  following  10  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Gnats 

Millers 

Parmachenee  Bell 

Coachman 

Deer  Fly 

Leadwing  Coachman 

Abbey 

Seth  Green 

Professor 

Academy 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  12. 


234 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


MONTANA 

Letters  Received  from  6  Anglers 

Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies  Times  Mentioned 

1  Coachman  4 

2  Brown  Hackle  4 

3  Professor  3 

4  Black  Gnat  2 

The  following  1 1  flies  were  mentioned  only  once : 

Grasshopper 

Imbrie 

Cheney 

Captain 

White  Miller 

Deer  Fly 

Royal  Coachman 

Gray  Hackle 

Jungle  Cock 

Gray  Alder 

Queen  of  the  Water 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  15. 


235 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


COLORADO 

Letters  Received  from  8  Anglers 

Order  of 
Popularity 

Number  of 
Name  of  Flies               Times  Mentioned 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 
6 

Coachman 
Brown  Hackle 
Royal  Coachman 
Black  Gnat 
Leadwing  Coachman 
Grizzly  King 

6 

5 
3 

2 

2 
2 

The  following 

9  flies  were  mentioned  only 

once: 

Gray  Drake 

Governor 

Willow 

New  Fly 

Gray  Hackle 

Professor 

Queen  of  the  Water 

King  of  the  Water 

Brown  Caughlan 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  15. 


236 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


WASHINGTON 

Letters  Received  from  6  Anglers 

Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies  Times  Mentioned 

1  Brown  Hackle  6 

2  Professor  5 

3  Coachman  5 

4  Black  Gnat  2 

5  Royal  Coachman  2 

The  following  8  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Red  Hackle 
Scarlet  Ibis 
Hackles 
Governor 
Cow  Dung 
White  Miller 
Curtis 
Lord  Baltimore 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  13. 


237 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

CALIFORNIA 

Letters  Received  from  4  Anglers 


Order  of 

Nun 

iber  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Times  Mentioned 

I 

Royal  Coachman 

2 

2 

Black  Gnat 

2 

3 

White  Miller 

2 

4 

Brown  Hackle 

2 

The  following 

17  flies  were  mentioned  only 

once: 

Hackles 

Caddis 

Coachman 

Professor 

Brown  Hen 

Yellow  Bumble 

Willard  Gray 

Wilson's  Ant 

Bicknell  Fly 

Beans  Fly 

Shain  Fly 

Spider 

Governor 

Duns 

Cow  Dung 

Gray  Drake 

Green  Drake 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  21. 


238 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


OREGON 

Letters  Received  from  7  Anglers 

Order  of 

Number  of 

Popularity 

Name  of  Flies               Times  Mentioned 

1 

Coachman                               5 

2 

Brown  Hackle                        5 

3 

Professor                                 3 

4 

Royal  Coachman                    2 

5 

Cow  Dung                              2 

6 

Jungle  Cock                             2 

7 

Green  Drake                            2 

8 

White  Miller                           2 

9 

Soldier  Palmer                       2 

The  following  18  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Black  Midge 

Claret 

Grizzly  King 

Nicholson 

Montreal 

Silver  Lady 

Romeyn 

Maid  of  the  Mill 

Yellow  Drake 

Queen  of  the  Water 

Yellow  May 

Humming  Bird 

Deer  Hair  Fly 

Reuben  Wood 

Governor 

Jock  Scott 

Bee 

Donkey 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  27. 


239 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


WYOMING 

Letters  Received  from  2  Anglers 

Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies  Times  Mentioned 

1  Black  Gnat  2 

2  White  Miller  2 

3  Coachman  2 

The  following  6  flies  were  mentioned  only  once: 

Royal  Coachman 

Professor 

Dark  Cow  Dung 

Scarlet  Ibis 

Imbrie 

Montreal 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  9. 


240 


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TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


ARIZONA 

Letter  Received  from  I  Angler 

Order  of  Number  of 

Popularity  Name  of  Flies  Times  Mentioned 

1  Brown  Ant  i 

2  Yellow  Sally  i 

3  Coachman  i 

4  Royal  Coachman  i 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  4. 


NEVADA 

Letter  Received  from  i 

Angler 

Order  of 
Popularity 

Name  of  Flies 

Number  of 
Times  Mentioned 

I 

"    2 

3 

4 

5 
6 

7 
8 

Coachman 
Brown  Hackle 
Black  Hackle 
Professor 
Black  Gnat 
Cow  Dung 
Alder 
Abbey 

Total  number  of  different  flies  mentioned,  8. 


241 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  the  different  flies  named  by  124  anglers  in  16 
States  or  groups  of  States,  tabulated  from  Mary  Orvis 
Mai'bury's  book,  "Favorite  Flies." 
Number  of  States  in  which  each  fly  is  mentioned,  shown  in  brackets 


Abbey  . . 
Academy 
Alder  . . . 


Babcock  

Beaverkill   

Bean's  Fly 

Bemis   

Bee  

Bishop 

Bicknell  Fly  ... . 

B.  Pond 

Black  Gnat 

Black  May 

Black  Midge 

Black  Hackle  . . . 
Black  Prince  . ... 

Blue  Dun 

Brown  Ant 

Brown  Hen  .  . . . 
Brown  Hackle  . . 
Brown  Palmer  .  . 

Blue  Jay 

Blue  Professor  . . 
Brown  Caughlan 

Bright  Fox 

Bumble  Bee  . . . . 


Cabinet 
Caddis  . 
Captain 
Cheney 


Claret   (2) 

Coachman   (16) 

Coch-y  Bonddu (i) 

Cow  Dung (9) 

Curtis (i) 

Dark  Cow  Dung ( i ) 

Davidson  Hackle (i) 

Deer  Fly (2) 

Deer  Hair  Fly (i) 

Donkey (i) 

Duns   (i) 

Fin  Fly (i) 

Fire  Fly (i) 

Ginger  Hackle ( i ) 

Gnats ( I ) 

Golden  Pheasant (i) 

Gov.  Alvord (i) 

Governor (6) 

Gray  Alder (i) 

Gray  Drake (2) 

Gray  Hackle (4) 

Gray  Miller (i) 

Green  and  Gold ( i ) 

Green  Drake (3) 

Grizzly  King (8) 

Grasshopper (2) 

Griffith   (i) 

Hackles (5) 

Hamlin (2) 


242 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Hill  Fly 

Humming  Bird 

Imbrie 


Jenny  Lind 

Jock  Scott  

Jungle  Cock 

King  of  the  Water  .... 

Leadwing  Coachman  . 
Lord  Baltimore 


Magpie 

Maid  of  the  Mill 
Magalloway  . . . . 
March  Brown  . . 

Millers   

Montreal 

Nameless    

New  Fly 

New  Lake 

Nicholson 

No  Name 


Orange  Miller 

Parmachenee  Bell  .  . 

Perch  Fly 

Polka 

Portland  

Proctor  Fly 

Professor 

Prouty 

Quack  Doctor 

Quaker 

Queen  of  the  Waters 

Raven   

Red  Fox 


Red  Hackle  .... 

Red  Ibis 

Red  Spinner  .... 
Reuben  Wood  . . 

Richardson  

Romeyn    

Royal  Coachman 

Scarlet  Ibis   .... 

Seth  Green 

Shain  Fly 

Silver  Doctor  . . . 
Silver  King  .... 
Silver  Lady  .... 
Soldier  Palmer  . 

Spider 

Stone  Fly 


The  Owner  . . 
Tim  Pond  . . . 
Tinseled  Ibis 
Toodle  Bug  . 

Van  Patton   . 


Webster 

White  Miller 

Widow   

Willow  

Willard  Gray 
Wilson's  Ant 


Yellow  Bumble  . 
Yellow  Drake  . . 

Yellow  Fly   

Yellow  May 

Yellow  Moose  . . 
Yellow  Professor 
Yellow  Sally  . . . . 


243 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  Trout  Flies  mentioned  under  the  headings  of 
the  following  States  are  tabulated  from  data  taken  from 
Mary  Orvis  Marbury's  book,  entitled  "Favorite  Flies/' 

Total  Different 

Name  of               No.  Flies  Flies 
Number                        State                 Mentioned    Mentioned 

1  Maine  105  44 

2  New   Hampshire   and   Ver- 

mont         36  22 

3  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island 

and  Connecticut 31  20 

4  New  York 107  38 

5  New    Jersey,     Pennsylvania 

and  Delaware 38  21 

6  Virginia  and  West  Virginia.       37  17 

7  Michigan 36  18 

8  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin. . .       14  12 

9  Montana 24  15 

10  Colorado 29  15 

1 1  Washington 28  13 

12  California 25  21 

13  Oregon 43  27 

14  Wyoming   12  9 

15  Arizona   4  4 

16  Nevada 8  8 


244 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Tabulation  showing  the  most  popular  or  "Favorite 
Fly"  of  all  the  States  mentioned. 

Number  Number 

of  States  in  of  times  fly 

Name  which  the  fly  is  mentioned 

Order        of  Flies  is  mentioned  by  anglers 

1  Coachman i6  58 

2  Professor 14  38 

3  Royal  Coachman 13  19 

4  Black  Gnat  12  25 

5  Brown  Hackle 11  44 

6  White  Miller 11  24 

7  Montreal  9  28 

8  Cow  Dung 9  18 

9  Grizzly  King 8  23 

10  Scarlet  Ibis 8  15 

11  Queen  of  the  Waters  ......         7  19 

12  Silver  Doctor 5  18 

These  twelve  flies  make  an  especially  good  assortment 
for  use  anywhere  in  the  sixteen  States  mentioned. 

Classification  of  these  flies  for  coloration 

Light  Medium  Dark 

(i)   Coachman  (2)   Professor  (4)   Black  Gnat 

(3)   Royal   Coach-       (8)   Cow  Dung  (5)   Brown  Hackle 

man  (9)   Grizzly  King        (7)   Montreal 

(6)  White  Miller      (10)  Queen  of  the  (10)   Scarlet  Ibis 

Waters  (12)   Silver  Doctor 


245 


CHAPTER   XVIII 
DRY-FLIES   USED   IN   ENGLAND   AND   AMERICA 

Although  there  are  a  number  of  different  patterns  of 
dry-flies  used  in  England,  those  in  vogue  and  used  by  the 
greater  number  of  good  dry-fly  men  are  the  ones  suggested 
by  the  dean  of  dry-fly  fishermen,  Frederic  M.  Halford. 

In  America  we  have  not  as  yet  any  one  who  fills  just 
such  a  place  in  the  dry-fly  fishing  world  as  does  Mr.  Hal- 
ford  in  England,  because  the  application  of  the  art  in  this 
country  is  not  old  enough,  in  the  first  place,  and  because 
the  American  method  fundamentally  differs  from  the 
English  method  in  the  second  place. 

The  difference  between  the  English  and  American 
method  being  that  with  the  former  the  angler  only  "fishes 
the  rise,"  while  with  the  latter  he  "fishes  the  stream";  in 
other  respects  the  two  methods  are  practically  the  same. 

The  following  pages  give  Frederic  M.  Halford's  latest 
patterns  of  dry-flies,  a  list  of  dry-flies  taken  from  George 
A.  B.  Dewar's  book,  entitled  "The  Book  of  the  Dry-Fly," 
a  list  of  dry-flies  given  by  Emlyn  M.  Gill  in  his  book, 
called  "Practical  Dry-Fly  Fishing,"  and  a  list  of  dry-flies 
used  in  America : 

246 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  Dry-Flies 

Latest  Patterns  of  Frederic  M.  Halford 

(The  great  English  authority) 


I 

Green  May-fly, 

2 

Brown  May-fly, 

3 

Spent  Gnat, 

4 

Olive  Dun, 

5 

Dark-Olive  Dun, 

6 

Olive  Spinner, 

7 

Pale  Watery  Dun, 

^Male 

8 

Pale  Watery  Spinner, 

9 

Iron-blue  Dun, 

lO 

Iron-blue  Spinner 

II 

Blue  Winged  Olive, 

12 

Sherry  Spinner, 

13 

Black  Gnat, 

H 

Welshman's  Button, 

15 

Olive  (red)  Spinner,  Female 

i6 

Brown  Ant 

17 

Small  Dark  Sedge 

i8 

Medium  Sedge 

19 

Cinnamon  Sedge 

247 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  dry-flies  taken  from  George  A.  B.  Dewar's 
book,  entitled  "The  Book  of  the  Dry-Fly": 


ENGLISH 

I 

May-fly  (light) 

2 

Great  Red  Spinner 

(Imago  of  March-brown) 

3 

Grannom 

4 

Jenny  Spinner 

(Imago  of  Iron-blue  Dun) 

B 

Little  May  Dun 

6 

Red  Spinner 

(Imago  of  Blue  Dun) 

7 

Black  Gnat 

8 

Blue  Dun 

9 

Alder 

lO 

Iron-blue  Dun 

II 

Yellow  Dun 

12 

May-fly  (dark) 

13 

March-brown 

248 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  dry-flies  taken  from  Emlyn  M.  GilFs  book,  en- 
titled "Practical  Dry-Fly  Fishing": 

AMERICAN. 

1  Whirling  Dun 

2  Wickham's  Fancy 

3  Pale  Evening  Dun 

4  Jenny  Spinner 
(Hackle  Fly) 

5  Willow  Fly 
(Hackle  Fly) 

6  Orange  Fish  Hawk 
(Hackle  Fly) 

7  Olive  Dun 

8  Soldier  Palmer 
(Hackle  Fly) 

9  Silver  Sedge 

10  Red  Spinner 

11  White  Miller 

12  Coachman 

13  Black  Gnat 


249 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


List  of  Dry-Flies  Used  in  America 


Apple  Green 

Black  Gnat 

Blue  Quill 

Brown  Sedge 

Beaverkill 

Cahill 

Coachman 

Cow  Dung 

Flight's  Fancy 

Grannom 

Governor 

Gordon 

Grizzly  King 

Gold  Ribbed  Hare's  Ear 

Ginger  March  Brown 

Ginger  Quill 

Hare's  Ear 

Iron  Blue  Quill 

Iron  Blue  Dun 

Jenny  Spinner 

Little  Yellow  May 

Little  Marryat 

Medium  Olive  Quill 

Medium  Olive  Dun 

March  Brown 

Mole 

Orange  Fishhawk 

Pale  Olive  Quill 

Pale  Watery  Quill 


Pale  Evening  Dun 
Pink  Lady 
Professor 
Parmachenee  Bell 
Pink  Wickhams 
Queen  of  the  Waters 
Red  Spinner 
Red  Ant 
Red  Quill 
Royal  Coachman 
Red  Tag 
Rube  Wood 
Silver  Sedge 
Soldier  Palmer 
Whirling  Blue  Dun 
Whirling  Dun 
White  Miller 
Wickham's  Fancy 
Willow 
Yellow  Sally 
Welshman's  Button 
Dark  Sage 
Autumn  Dun 
Alder 

Orange  Sedge 
Needle  Brown 
Orange  Bumble 
Yellow  Bumble 
Furnace 


250 


PLATE  OF  10  POPULAR  DRY  FLIES  USED  BY  ANGLERS 
IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND  WHICH  ARE  OBTAINABLE 
AT  ALMOST  ANY  GOOD  TACKLE  STORE 


RED  ANT 


HARES  EAR 


MARCH  BROWN 


BLACK  GNAT 


^ 


COACHMAN 


GREENWELL'S  GLORY 


SILVER  SEDGE 


HOFLAND'S  FANCY 


WICKHAM'S  FANCY 


PALE  EVENING  DUN 


CHAPTER  XIX 
LIST   OF   WET-FLIES 

The  following  list  of  wet-flies  comprises  the  flies  made 
by  a  number  of  fly  manufacturers,  many  of  them  are  car- 
ried in  stock  by  tackle  dealers,  while  others  can  only  be 
had  by  giving  a  special  order  for  them. 

Many  of  them  are  seldom  used,  and  many  of  them  are 
of  little  use,  except  in  special  waters,  but  to  make  the  list 
fairly  complete  I  have  included  them  with  flies  that  are 
used  every  day  during  the  open  season  for  trout. 


Abbey 

Ben  Butler 

Adder 

Bissett 

Adirondack 

Bicknell 

Alder 

Black  Gnat 

Allerton 

Black  Ant 

Alexander,  Geo.  L. 

Black  May 

Alexandria 

Black  June 

Alice 

Black  Prince 

Ashy 

Black  Hackle 

Ash  Fox 

Block  House 

August  Dun 

Blue  Blow 

Autumn  Dun 

Blue  Bottle 

Blue  Professor 

Baldwin 

Blue  Upright 

Beaverkill 

Bostwick 

Ben  Bent 

Bowman 

251 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Brown  Adder 
Brown  Ant 
Brown  Drake 
Brown  Gnat 
Brown  Hackle 
Brown  Spinner 
Brown  CofRn 
Brown  Hen 
Brown  Caughlan 
Bright  Fox 
Bright  Claret  Gnat 
Blue  Jay 
B.  Pond 
Bee 

Bumble  Bee 
Bemis 
Babcock 
Brown  Palmer 
Bishop 
Blue  Dun 
Bean's  Fly 
Black  Midge 
Barrington 
Brandreth 
Buck  Tail 

Coachman 

Caldwell 

Camlet  Dun 

Canada 

CahiU 

Caparer 

Carmen 

Captain 

Captain  Scott 

Carleton 

Carter  H. 


Cheney 

Chittenden 

Claret 

Cinnamon 

Cow  Dung 

Cody 

Cabinet 

Coch-y  Bonddu 

Curtis 

Caddis 

Critchley  Fancy 

Dark  Stone 
Dark  Blue  Dun 
Dark  Fox 
Dark  Spider 
Dark  Claret  Gnat 
Dark  Stone 
Deer  Fly 
Dave  Holmes 
Dr.  Beatty 
Dewey 
Dun-Spinner 
Dorset 

Dusty  Miller 
Dark  Cow  Dung 
Davidson  Hackle 
Donkey 

Emerald  Gnat 
Emerald  Dun 
Ethel  May 
Esmeralda 
Epting  Fly 
Equinox  Gnat 
English  Pheasant 


252 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Fern 
Ferguson 
Ferris 

Foetid  Brown 
Fiery  Brown 
Francis  Fly- 
Flight's  Fancy 
Foetid  Green 
Fin  Fly 
Fire  Fly 
Fox  Hackle 
Findlay 

General  Hooker 
Gray  Drake 
Gray  Caughlan 
Governor 
Great  Barrington 
Greenwell's  Glory 
Golden  Spinner 
Golden  Monkey 
Governor  Alvord 
Ginger  Hackle 
Gosling 
Gauze  Wing 
Grannom 
Green  Drake 
Great  Dun 
Grizzly  King 
Grizzly  Dutchman 
Good  Evening 
Gray  Gnat 
Green  Hackle 
Grizzly  Hackle 
Gray  Coffin 
Guinea  Hen 
George  Wood 


Gray  Miller 
Gray  Alder 
Gray  Hackle 
Griffith 

Green  and  Gold 
Golden  Pheasant 
Grasshopper 
Governor  Russell 

Hare's  Ear 

Hamlin 

Hamlin  (Middle  Dam) 

Hammond's  Adopted 

Hawthorn 

Hod 

Hoskins 

Hofland's  Fancy 

Hill  Fly 

Humming  Bird 

Imbrie 

Iron  Blue  Dun 

Indian  Crow 

Jenny  Lind  (Blue) 

Jenny  Lind  (Lavender) 

Jenny  Spinner 

Jewel 

Josephine 

Jock  Scott 

Jungle  Cock 

King  of  the  Water 
Katy  Did 
Kingdon 
Kingfisher 


253 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Kitson 
Kineo 

Lake  Green 

Lady  of  the  Lake 

Laramie 

Lady  Sue 

Lady  Martha 

Lowry 

Logan 

Lord  Baltimore 

Leadwing  Coachman 

Lake  George 

Lester 

March  Brown 
Marston's  Fancy 
Magpie 
Major  Pitcher 
Mead  Fly 
Montreal  (Dark) 
Montreal  (Light) 
Morrison 
McGinty 
Maid  of  the  Mill 
Magalloway 
Marsters 
Moose  Head 
Mosie  Grub 
Mill's  No.  I 

Neversink 
Number  68 
Nameless 

New  Fly 
New  Lake 
Nicholson 
No  Name 


Orange  Miller 
Oak  Fly 
Olive  Gnat 
Orange  Gnat 
Orange  Dun 
Orange  Hackle 

Pale  Evening  Dun 

Parmachenee  Bell 

Parmachenee  Beau 

Parker 

Puffer 

Pheasant 

Portland 

Poorman's  Fly 

Polka 

Plum 

Prime  Gnat 

Perch  Fly 

Proctor  Fly 

Professor 

Prouty 

Page  Fly 

Preston 

Queen  of  the  Waters 

Quaker 

Quack  Doctor 

Raven 
Red  Ant 
Red  Ash 
Red  Head 
Red  Spinner 
Red  Fox 
Red  Spider 
Red  Hackle 


254 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 


Reuben  Wood 

Tinseled  Ibis 

Romeyn 

Toodle  Bug 

Ronald's  Stone 

Red  Ibis 

Van  Patton 

Richardson 

Royal  Coachman 

Wren  Tail 

Wimbrel 

Sand  Fly 

Wasp 

Seth  Green 

Witcher 

Scarlet  Ibis 

White  Miller 

Soldier  Palmer 

White  Moth 

Shad  Fly 

White  Wings 

Shoemaker 

Widow 

Soldier 

Willow 

Soldier  Moth 

Wickham's  Fancy 

Sedge  Fly 

Wilson's  Ant 

Shain  Fly 

Wyoming 

Soldier  Gnat 

Woodcock 

St.  Patrick 

Webster 

Southside 

Willard  Gray 

Spider 

White  Hackle 

Stone  Fly 

Wren  Fly 

Silver  Black 

Widgeon 

Silver  Horns 

Wood  Duck 

Silver  Doctor 

Western  Bee 

Silver  Spot 

Silver  Dun 

Yankee 

Silver  Nail 

Yellow  Bumble 

Sunset 

Yellow  Drake 

Stalkneck 

Yellow  Fly 

Stebbins 

Yellow  Moth 

Yellow  Moose 

Thacher 

Yellow  Professor 

Teal 

Yellow  Sally 

Treehopper 

Yellow  Coachman 

The  Owner 

Yellow  Hackle 

Tim  Pond 

Yellow  Montreal 

255 


CHAPTER   XX 
MISCELLANEOUS   MATTERS 


Subjects: 


1  Rules  of  the  road 

2  In  relation  to  fly-rods 

3  In  relation  to  reels 

4  In  relation  to  lines 

5  In  relation  to  leaders 

6  In  relation  to  flies 

7  In  relation  to  nets 

8  How  to  net  a  fish 

9  How  to  carry  a  set-up  rod 

10  How  to  kill  trout 

11  How  to  clean  trout 

12  How  to  prepare  trout  to  carry  or  ship 

13  How  to  tell  the  weight  of  trout 

14  The  strength  of  fly-rods 

15  About  large  trout 

16  Knots  used  in  fly-fishing 

17  Angler's  clothing 

This  chapter,  devoted  to  matters  about  which  every  be- 
ginner ought  to  know,  is  written  with  the  hope  that  what 
is  said  will  be  of  some  lasting  interest  to  them,  not  only  as 
tyros,  but  later,  perhaps,  as  experienced  fly  fishermen. 

256 


PLATE  OF  THE  12  MOST  POPULAR  WET  FLIES  USED  BY  ANGLERS 
IN  THE  UNITED  STATES;  DATA  TAKEN  FROM  MARY  ORVIS  MARBURY'S 
BOOK  ENTITLED  "FAVORITE  FLIES" 


LIGHT 
COLORED  FLIES 


MEDIUM 
COLORED  FLIES 


DARK 
COLORED  FLIES 


(4)   BLACK  GNAT 


(21   PROFESSOR 


(1)  COACHMAN 


(3)  ROYAL  COACHMAN 


(6)  WHITE  MILLER 


f8)  COW  DUNG 


(9)  GRIZZLY  KING 


(11)  QUEEN  OF  THE  WATERS 


NOTE: 

THE  NUMBER  GIVES  THE  ORDER 
OF  POPULARITY 


(7)  MONTREAL 


(10)  SCARLET  IBIS 


(12)  SILVER  DOCTOR 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Rules  of  the  Road: 

There  are  certain  unwritten  rules  governing  the  ac- 
tions of  anglers  that  every  true  sportsman  should  observe, 
and  they  are  called  "the  rules  of  the  road.'* 

When  in  a  boat  or  canoe  never  go  through  good  fish- 
ing water  where  an  angler  is  fishing.    Go  around  it. 

Never  fish  any  water  within  casting  distance  of  another 
angler,  unless  invited  to  do  so. 

Never  disturb  any  fishing  water  more  than  is  abso- 
lutely necessary.  Remember  that  other  anglers  are  likely 
to  take  your  place  when  you  move  along. 

Before  passing  an  angler  who  is  on  a  stream,  fishing 
from  a  boat  or  canoe,  notify  him  of  your  intention  to  pass, 
and  apologize  for  so  doing,  and  pass  as  close  to  the  an- 
gler's boat  as  possible,  so  as  not  to  disturb  his  fishing 
water  more  than  is  necessary. 

When  through  fishing  on  a  small  stream  or  brook,  do 
not  tramp  along  the  banks  like  a  longshoreman  going 
home  from  work.  Remember  some  other  angler  may  be 
following  after  you,  who  likewise  enjoys  the  sport  of  fish- 
ing, and  trout  are  more  scared  by  vibrations  set  up  by  a 
pounding  walker  than  almost  anything  else. 

Courtesy,  good  nature,  fair-mindedness  and  a  kindly 
spirit  should  be  the  universal  attitude  between  sportsmen 
at  all  times. 

In  Relation  to  Fly-Rods: 

Never  set  up  a  rod  in  a  hurry;  do  it  deliberately  and 
carefully,  and  you  will  find  it  is  time  well  invested. 

257 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

When  taking  down  a  rod  never  twist  the  joints;  always 
separate  them  with  a  straight  pull,  since,  in  this  way,  you 
will  not  wring  or  injure  the  rod. 

Do  not  take  down  a  rod  any  oftener  than  is  really 
necessary  when  on  a  fishing  trip.  No  advantage  is  gained 
by  so  doing. 

A  rod  should  always  be  wiped  after  using,  irrespective 
of  whether  or  not  it  is  wet,  and  it  should  be  thoroughly 
done. 

Never  stand  a  rod  upright  so  as  to  bend  the  tip,  but 
place  it  when  possible  in  a  horizontal  position  on  rests 
that  are  about  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  apart. 

When  rods  are  taken  down,  the  ferrules  should  be 
wiped  with  an  oily  rag,  but  care  should  be  taken  that  no 
free  oil  is  left  after  so  doing. 

As  more  fly-rods  are  injured  when  being  taken  down 
or  disjointed  than  any  other  way,  especially  when  they 
are  very  tightly  set,  I  suggest  that  it  be  done  by  two  persons 
facing  each  other.  Both  should  place  a  hand  on  the  rod 
each  side  of  the  joint,  then  by  each  pulling  with  one  hand 
and  pushing  with  the  other,  doing  so  steadily  (not  jerk- 
ing), the  rod  will  quickly  be  disjointed  and  without  in- 
jury. 

In  Relation  to  Reels: 

Reels  should  be  kept  clean  and  well  oiled,  but  no  oil 
should  be  allowed  to  creep  to  the  exposed  surface  of  any 
part  of  the  reel. 

258 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

When  reeling  or  unreeling  a  line,  other  than  when 
fishing,  it  should  be  done  with  the  click  of  the  reel  off. 
The  reel  will  last  longer  if  this  is  observed. 

In  Relation  to  Lines: 

Be  careful  never  to  step  on  or  kink  an  enameled  line, 
for  it  will  ruin  it  at  such  places. 

Lines  that  have  become  wet  should  be  stripped  off 
the  reel  and  dried  to  keep  them  in  good  condition. 

Test  a  line  every  now  and  then  to  see  that  the  leader 
end  has  not  lost  any  of  its  strength  due  to  usage;  if  it  has, 
cut  off  a  sufficient  length,  a  foot  or  two,  to  make  it  safe  for 
future  fishing. 

Occasionally  wipe  the  line  thoroughly  with  a  rag  that 
has  been  soaked  in  melted  deer  fat.  After  doing  so,  wipe 
the  line  again  with  a  clean,  soft  cotton  rag  to  remove  all 
excess  of  fat.  This  treatment  will  not  only  clean  the  line 
but  will  keep  the  enameling  pliable  and  in  good  condition. 

In  Relation  to  Leaders: 

Leaders  should  always  be  well  soaked  before  using. 

A  leader  should  always  be  tested  with  the  hands  be- 
fore using,  even  if  it  is  a  new  one.  This  is  a  wise  precau- 
tion. 

Never  fish  with  a  frayed  leader,  unless  it  is  the  only 
one  you  have  at  hand.    The  inevitable  always  happens. 

Everything  else  being  equal,  the  strength  of  a  leader 
depends  upon  its  length.  The  longer  the  leader  the  less 
the  strength. 

259 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

In  Relation  to  Flies: 

Flies  should  have  the  same  colored  snells  as  the  leader 
to  be  used  with  them.    This  is  most  important. 

Everything  considered,  mist  is  the  best  color  for  gut 
used  for  the  snells  of  flies. 

After  fishing,  examine  your  used  flies  to  see  that  they 
are  fit  for  future  use,  also  to  see  if  the  snells  are  sound. 

Always  keep  the  snells  of  flies  straight. 

Test  the  snells  of  flies  before  using  them  by  holding 
the  hook  in  one  hand  and  the  loop  of  the  snell  in  the  other, 
then  give  two  or  three  sharp,  quick  jerks.  If  the  snell 
starts  ever  so  little,  discard  the  fly  as  useless.  Otherwise 
it  is  all  right  to  use. 

When  putting  flies  away  after  the  open  season  do  so 
by  placing  them  in  a  moth-proof  box  or  case,  where  the 
temperature  will  not  be  over  sixty  degrees  during  the  win- 
ter months. 

In  Relation  to  Nets: 

Examine  your  net  carefully  the  first  time  it  is  taken 
out  at  the  beginning  of  the  open  season  to  see  that  it  is  in 
good  condition,  and  then  examine  it  from  time  to  time  to 
see  that  it  remains  so. 

Do  not  use  too  small  a  net  for  the  size  fish  you  ex- 
pect to  catch.  Be  governed  by  the  largest,  not  the  smallest, 
fish  caught  in  the  waters  you  are  fishing. 

Deep  nets,  with  a  fine  mesh,  made  of  linen  twine,  are 
the  ones  most  reliable,  and  wear  the  longest.  On  that 
account  they  are  the  best. 

260 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

How  to  Net  a  Fish: 

There  is  but  one  correct  way  to  net  a  jish,  and  that 
is  head-on. 

The  net  should  first  be  thoroughly  wet  before  attempt- 
ing to  net  a  fish,  and  this  should  be  done,  if  in  a  boat  or 
canoe,  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  one  the  fish  is  being 
played. 

Never  dive  or  scoop  for  a  fish  with  the  net  when  trying 
to  land  him.  Have  the  net  entirely  under  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  as  the  fish  is  brought  toward  the  net,  raise 
the  net  slightly  at  the  handle  end,  so  that  the  fish  can  enter 
it  head-on. 

Do  not  try  to  net  any  fish  before  it  is  ready,  and  it  has 
been  sufficiently  worked  so  as  to  be  under  absolute  con- 
trol, otherwise  you  are  liable  to  lose  it. 

Be  very  careful  not  to  touch  the  fish  with  the  metal 
ring  holding  the  net,  because  more  fish  are  lost  this  way 
than  any  other. 

How  to  Carry  a  Set-Up  Rod: 

First  wind  the  line  and  leader  around  the  rod  from 
tip  of  rod  to  reel  seat  with  turns  8  to  lo  inches  long,  then 
slip  the  point  of  the  hook  under  the  reel  ring  of  the  reel 
seat.  The  rod  is  now  as  safe  to  carry  as  it  can  well  be 
made. 

When  traveling  over  an  open  country,  such  as  fields 
and  roads,  carry  the  rod  with  the  tip  end  in  front  of  you. 
At  such  times  hold  the  rod  at  a  balancing  point  that  will 

261 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

bring  the  tip  about  the  height  of  the  head.  With  the  rod 
in  this  position  there  is  no  danger  of  injuring  the  tip. 

When  traveling  through  brush,  grown-up  wood 
roads  or  trails,  always  carry  the  rod  with  the  tip  end  be- 
hind you,  holding  the  rod  as  near  a  horizontal  position  as 
possible. 

In  case  of  a  fall,  always  throw  the  rod  from  and  in 
front  of  you,  if  carrying  it  in  front;  and  when  carrying 
it  to  the  back  of  you,  just  drop  it  or  throw  it  to  one  side. 
I  have  never  known  of  a  rod  being  injured  when  handled 
in  this  way. 

How  to  Kill  Trout: 

Make  a  point  to  hill  your  fish  immediately  it  is  caught 
if  you  intend  to  keep  it,  otherwise  return  it  at  once  to  the 
water. 

It  is  a  very  easy  matter  to  kill  a  trout  if  struck  in  the 
right  place,  which  is  on  the  head  between  the  eyes,  and  un- 
less it  is  a  large  fish  no  great  amount  of  force  is  necessary. 
Almost  any  trout  weighing  half  a  pound  or  under  can  be 
killed  by  snapping  the  right  place  on  the  head  with  the 
middle  finger.  Larger  trout  can  be  killed  by  striking  the 
head  with  a  hunting  knife  or  a  fair-sized  pocket  knife. 
Very  large  trout  must  be  struck  with  greater  force,  or 
the  point  of  a  knife  can  be  inserted  at  the  spot  between 
the  eyes,  which  will  accomplish  the  same  thing,  and  will 
not  disfigure  the  fish. 

For  killing  fish  when  wading  a  stream,  it  is  convenient 
to  carry  a  small  round  piece  of  hard  wood,  billy-shaped, 

262 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

attached  to  a  string,  which  can  be  tied  to  your  coat,  or  it 
can  be  carried  in  the  pocket  of  your  coat. 

When  fishing  from  a  boat  or  canoe,  a  fish  can  be  killed 
by  striking  the  head  on  the  gunwale,  but  this  is  not  as  good 
a  way  as  using  the  piece  of  hard  wood. 

If  in  a  position  where  you  have  nothing  with  which  to 
strike  the  fish,  insert  your  thumb  in  its  mouth,  then  bend 
the  head  backward  and  break  its  neck. 

How  to  Clean  Trout: 

Insert  the  point  of  a  knife  in  the  anus  opening, 
which  is  just  ahead  of  the  anal  fin,  and  cut  the  belly  of  the 
fish  straight  up  to  the  jawbone. 

It  is  an  easy  matter  then  to  remove  the  entrails  by  grasp- 
ing them  near  the  head  and  pulling  forward. 

If  the  trout  weighs  a  pound  or  less,  the  gills  will  be 
removed  without  any  further  cutting.  If,  however,  it  is  a 
large  fish,  cut  the  gills  at  the  two  places  where  they  are 
attached  to  the  head. 

Having  removed  the  entrails,  then  run  your  knife  the 
entire  length  of  the  backbone  on  the  inside  of  the  fish,  cut- 
ting the  membrane  over  the  coagulated  or  venous  blood, 
which  always  accumulates  along  this  bone.  Now  thor- 
oughly wash  out  the  blood,  scraping  the  backbone  with 
your  thumb  to  be  sure  all  the  blood  is  removed.  When 
this  operation  is  completed  the  fish  is  properly  dressed, 
and  will  keep  fresh  for  a  considerable  time  if  kept  in  a 
cold  place. 

No  trout  should  ever  be  placed  directly  upon  the  ice. 

263 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

To  do  so  will  soften  the  flesh  and  take  away  much  of  the 
flavor.  Besides  they  will  not  keep  as  long.  Hence,  first 
place  the  trout  on  a  platter  and  then  on  the  ice,  and  they 
will  remain  in  fine  condition. 

How  to  Prepare  Trout  to  Carry  or  Ship: 

When  trout  are  to  be  transported  by  hand  or  otherwise, 
I  have  found,  to  have  them  arrive  at  their  destination  in 
good  condition,  the  following  method  of  packing  them 
produces  the  best  results. 

First,  wipe  the  trout  carefully  and  place  a  little  salt 
along  the  entire  length  of  the  backbone  on  the  inside; 
second,  roll  the  fish  in  a  cold  moist  strip  of  old  cotton 
cloth,  which  is  wider  by  a  few  inches  than  the  longest  fish. 
Each  trout  should  be  handled  separately,  and  the  cotton 
strip  so  placed  around  each  fish  that  the  flesh  of  one  fish 
cannot  come  in  contact  with  any  other  fish.  If  there  are 
a  number  of  fish  to  pack,  use  a  number  of  strips  and  make 
several  rolls,  then  do  each  roll  up  separately  in  three  thick- 
nesses of  paper.  Each  roll  should  be  tied  securely,  then 
as  many  rolls  as  desired  can  be  tied  into  one  large  package. 

Trout  packed  in  this  way  will  remain  in  good  edible 
condition  for  a  long  time,  even  when  the  weather  is  quite 
warm.  I  have  shipped  trout  so  packed  that  have  been 
four  days  in  transit,  and  they  were  in  fine  condition  when 
removed  from  the  package  on  reaching  their  destination. 

When  going  off  on  a  fishing  trip,  I  always  take  with 
me  an  old  cotton  sheet,  from  which  to  get  the  strips  for 
packing.    The  strips  should  be  soaked  for  some  little 

264 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

time  in  ice  or  cold  spring  water  before  using,  and  then 
wrung  out  so  as  not  to  leave  any  free  water  in  them. 

This  method  of  packing  trout  almost  entirely  excludes 
the  air,  keeps  the  fish  moist  and  cool,  keeps  the  natural 
moisture  of  the  fish  in  the  fish,  which  prevents  their  dry- 
ing, and  the  separating  of  the  fish  by  the  cotton  strips  pre- 
vents any  fermentation  taking  place  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time. 


How  to  Tell  the  Weight  of  Trout  by  Their  Length: 

The  following  tabulation  has  been  taken  from  Henry 
P.  Wells'  book,  "Fly-Rods  and  Fly-Tackle,"  and  is  given 
here  because  I  have  found  the  figures  to  be  most  reliable: 

inch  trout  weigh    ^  pound 
J4       " 
Va       " 


9 

inch 

tro 

iiK 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

22y2 

23y2 

245^ 

1/4  pounds 

^H 

2% 

2/2 

3 

3/2 

4 

4^ 

^% 

6 

7 

The  weights  for  length  are  very  nearly  correct,  and,  as 
a  general  proposition,  will  be  found  not  to  vary  more  than 

265 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

one-half  to  one  ounce  from  actual  weight,  the  greatest 
variation  being  with  the  larger  fish. 

There  is  one  exception,  however,  that  must  be  made 
to  which  these  figures  do  not  apply,  namely,  to  "Racers." 

**Racers'*  are  trout  that  are  very  thin  (shad-like)  and 
long,  and  this  condition  in  most  cases  is  due  to  old  age; 
but  such  trout  are  not  often  caught  on  the  fly. 

I  once  caught  a  "Racer"  (September,  1907)  that  meas- 
ured 28j4  inches  in  length  and  8  inches  in  depth,  and 
weighed,  one  hour  after  landing,  5J4  pounds. 

It  took  one  hour  and  ten  minutes  to  net  this  trout, 
which  was  hooked  in  the  pool  at  the  head  of  Dodge  Pond, 
and  landed  in  the  middle  of  the  pond  over  one  mile  away 
from  the  pool.  Dodge  Pond  empties  into  Rangeley  Lake 
at  Hunter's  Cove,  which  is  about  one-quarter  mile  away. 

Had  the  "Racer"  been  a  trout  in  good  condition  it 
would  have  weighed  at  least  ten  pounds. 

The  Strength  of  Fly-Rods: 

In  the  chapter  on  "The  Rod"  you  will  find  that  I  have 
stated,  when  referring  to  the  maximum  strain  of  a  rod,  as 
follows:  "By  maximum  strain  in  Pounds-Pull  is  meant 
the  dead  weight  which  rods  will  stand  without  injury  in 
an  emergency." 

For  some  reason  the  average  beginner,  as  well  as  many 
semi-experienced  and  not  a  few  experienced  fly-fishermen, 
have  little  real  knowledge  about  the  strength  of  fly-rods. 

On  this  account  it  may  be  of  interest  for  them  to  know 
some  facts  in  relation  to  their  strength. 

266 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

The  ultimate  breaking  strength  of  any  fly-rod  is  rep- 
resented by  the  pounds-strain  that  is  placed  upon  it  which 
will  cause  it  to  fracture  or  break. 

The  maximum  safe  strain  in  pounds-pull  is  repre- 
sented by  the  pounds-strain  that  can  be  placed  upon  any 
fly-rod,  which  strain  when  removed,  allows  the  rod  to  at 
once  return  to  its  straight  or  normal  position  without  hav- 
ing received  any  injury  from  the  applied  strain. 

Between  the  ultimate  breaking  point  and  the  maxi- 
mum safe-strain  point  there  is  quite  a  margin;  but  this 
margin  is  of  little  avail  to  the  angler,  because  when  a  rod 
is  subjected  to  a  strain  that  exceeds  the  maximum  safe 
strain  the  elastic  limit  of  the  rod  is  passed,  which  results 
in  putting  a  permanent  set  or  bend  in  the  rod. 

It  is  on  this  account  that  the  maximum  safe  strain 
(pounds-pull)  that  an  angler^s  rod  will  stand  without  in- 
jury should  necessarily  be  of  great  interest  to  him  if  he 
has  a  good  rod  and  is  desirous  of  keeping  it  in  serviceable 
condition. 

The  best  split  bamboo  fly-rod  ever  made  that  was  ten 
feet  in  length  and  weighed  six  ounces,  never  had  a  maxi- 
mum safe  strength  of  over  one  and  one-half  pounds. 

This  statement  will  no  doubt  sound  strange  to  some, 
nevertheless  it  is  true,  and  to  any  angler  who  believes 
otherwise,  I  suggest  that  he  take  his  own  fly-rod  and  with 
great  care,  so  as  not  to  injure  the  rod,  see  to  what  a  degree 
the  rod  will  bend  in  trying  to  lift  a  one-half  pound  weight 
clear  of  the  ground. 

In  making  this  experiment  or  test  be  sure  to  set  up 

267 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

the  rod  with  great  care,  having  the  guides  in  proper  align- 
ment. Then  attach  the  reel  and  pass  the  line  through  the 
guides  running  ofi  about  four  or  five  feet  of  line,  after- 
ward secure  the  line  at  the  reel  so  that  it  cannot  pay  out. 
Having  done  this  attach  to  the  free  end  of  the  line  a  one- 
quarter  pound  weight,  as  a  starter,  and  lift  it  with  the  rod 
held  as  in  the  act  of  fishing  and  observe  the  bend  of  the 
rod. 

After  having  made  this  test  try  a  one-half  pound  weight 
and  again  observe  the  bend  of  the  rod  when  the  weight  is 
lifted  clear.  Continue  increasing  the  weight,  if  by  this 
time  you  are  not  satisfied,  until  a  pound  weight  has  been 
tried,  but  do  not  try  any  greater  weight,  that  is,  if  you 
value  your  rod. 

By  the  time  these  tests  have  been  completed,  or  if  they 
remain  uncompleted,  you  probably  will  have  changed 
your  views  about  the  safe  strength  of  fly-rods. 

About  Large  Trout: 

My  experience  has  been  that  large  trout,  by  which  is 
meant  trout  that  weigh  three  pounds  and  over,  are  seldom 
caught  in  water  that  is  over  eight  feet  in  depth,  and  this 
is  exceptionally  the  case  throughout  the  entire  Rangeley 
region. 

Large  trout  are  more  easily  played  and  landed  when 
caught  on  small  hooks,  8,  lO  and  12  in  size  (preferably  the 
two  smaller  sizes),  than  when  caught  on  larger  ones. 

This  is  because  the  bend  of  the  small  hook  is  usually 
completely  filled  when  set  in  the  mouth  of  the  fish,  while 

268 


yJ^I^  KrsTOT 


PLATE     D 


fTO    1 


FIG      3 


TILLER  HITCH 


riG.   1 


^^^ 


i 


JAM   KNOT  AND  TILLER  HITCH  KNOT 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

with  the  larger  hooks  this  same  condition  does  not  exist, 
and  therefore  the  barb  of  the  hook  often  wears  out  the 
hold,  especially  if  the  trout  puts  up  a  good  fight. 

Anglers,  as  a  rule,  have  such  a  desire  to  land  large 
trout  that  they  play  them  far  too  hard,  place  far  too  much 
strain  upon  the  rod,  line  and  leader,  and  try  to  net  them 
long  before  they  should,  with  the  result  that  many  more 
large  trout  are  lost  than  are  landed. 

Beginners  especially  should  try  to  remember  this,  for 
it  will  help  them  materially  when  they  have  succeeded  in 
hooking  a  large  trout,  and  they  should  also  remember  that 
every  trout  that  is  hooked  should  be  played,  with  the  idea 
strongly  fixed  in  the  mind  that  it  is  lightly  hooked,  until 
it  has  been  proved  otherwise,  and  even  then  the  wise  an- 
gler will  never  force  his  fish  unless  it  is  in  danger  from 
some  snag. 

Naturally,  when  fishing  for  large  trout,  some  days  are 
better  fishing  days  than  others,  and  the  best  days  are  those 
when  the  trout  are  feeding,  no  matter  what  the  weather 
and  water  conditions  may  be  at  the  time. 

The  ideal  day  for  fishing  for  large  trout  is  when  the 
sky  is  overcast,  with  a  fairly  strong  ripple  on  the  water, 
the  wind,  however,  not  so  strong  as  to  prevent  casting 
with  ease  in  any  direction,  and  when  the  temperature  of 
the  water  is  not  over  45  to  48  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

It  is  at  such  times  the  angler  expects,  and  rightly  so, 
to  find  large  trout  feeding,  and  in  the  large  majority  of 
cases  his  expectations  are  realized;  but  as  to  his  hooking 
a  large  trout,  that  "is  another  question." 

269 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Knots  Used  in  Fly-Fishing : 

There  are  a  large  number  of  different  knots  used  by 
anglers  for  joining  eyed  hooks  to  snells  and  leaders,  lines 
to  leaders  and  in  making  leaders  and  leader  loops. 

It  is  not  necessary,  however,  for  the  angler  to  devote 
any  time  in  learning  hom  to  tie  a  large  number  of  knots, 
because  a  few  good  knots,  if  well  made,  will  answer  every 
purpose  and  give  satisfactory  results. 

Having  used  and  experimented  for  many  years  with 
the  various  knots  employed  in  fly-fishing,  I  have  finally 
reached  the  conclusion  that  there  are  only  four  knots  it  is 
necessary  for  the  angler  to  know  how  to  make,  and  they 
are:  the  "Turle  Knot,"  the  "Jam  Knot,"  the  "Tiller-hitch 
Knot,"  and  the  "Single  Hitch"  or  "Single  Surgeon's 
Knot." 

The  "Turle  Knot,"  in  my  opinion,  is  by  all  odds  the 
best  and  only  knot  to  use  for  attaching  the  dry-fly  to  the 
leader,  and  the  "Jam  Knot"  for  attaching  the  wet-fly  to  a 
snell  or  a  line  to  a  leader,  provided  a  hard  knot  is  what  the 
angler  wishes  to  use.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  angler 
desires  to  use  a  knot  that  can  quickly  be  untied,  then  there 
is  no  better  knot  than  the  "Tiller-hitch  Knot"  for  attach- 
ing the  line  to  the  leader. 

The  "Single  Hitch"  or  "Single  Surgeon's  Knot"  I 
have  always  found  to  be  strong,  reliable,  and  to  an- 
swer every  purpose  in  tying  leaders  of  all  descrip- 
tions, and  it  has  the  decided  advantage  of  being  a  small 
knot. 

270 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Angler  s  Clothing: 

As  to  the  matter  of  clothing  a  fly  fisherman  should 
wear,  and  how  much  of  an  outfit  he  should  have,  this  is 
something  that,  in  my  opinion,  must  be  determined  by 
each  angler  for  himself,  because  he  alone  knows  what  his 
physical  requirements  are  for  hot  or  cold  weather  and  how; 
he  can  best  meet  them. 

For  use  in  stream  fishing  when  wading  one  can  choose : 

Rubber  trousers  with  heavy  leather  soles. 

Rubber  trousers  with  stocking  feet  to  be  worn  with  woolen 
stockings  outside  and  wading  shoes. 

Rubber  stockings  with  heavy  leather  soles. 

Rubber  stockings  to  be  worn  with  woolen  stockings  outside 
and  wading  shoes. 

Rubber  boots,  hip-length  with  belt. 

Rubber  boots,  three-quarter  length  without  belt. 

Rubber  or  rubber  and  canvas  wading  shoes. 

Whatever  selection  of  footwear  is  made,  always  wear  woolen 
stockings. 

For  use  in  stream  fishing  when  fishing  from  banks : 

Low  moccasins,  high  moccasins  or  long-leg  moccasin  boots, 
leather  shoes,  long-leg  leather  boots,  canvas  shoes  or  canvas  boots. 

In  bank  fishing,  one  can  wear  almost  any  kind  of  boot 
or  shoe,  and  it  is  a  fine  time  to  finish  any  partially-worn 
footwear  one  happens  to  have  on  hand  and  does  not  know 
what  to  do  with. 

For  use  in  boats  and  canoes  when  fishing : 

Moccasins  or  canvas  shoes  with  rubber  soles,  but  any  kind  of 
footwear  can  be  worn ;  in  canoes,  however,  leather  boots  or  shoes 
are  out  of  place. 

271 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

Shirts: 

Any  kind  of  shirt  will  do,  but  for  continuous  wear  flannel 
shirts  are  the  best,  all  things  considered. 

Coats: 

Coats  made  especially  for  fishing  can  be  had  which  are  made 
up  from  many  different  kinds  of  material,  such  as : 

Khaki,   Canvas,   Corduroy,  Leather,   Wool,  and  other 
kinds  of  goods. 

Vests: 

Vests  can  be  made  of  the  same  material  as  the  coat,  or  other- 
wise, as  fancy  dictates. 

Trousers: 

Trousers  can  be  made  of  the  same  material  as  the  coats,  ex- 
cept leather,  and  made  either  short  or  long. 

Hats  or  Caps: 

Any  kind  of  a  hat  or  cap,  made  from  almost  any  kind  of  ma- 
terial, will  fill  the  bill. 

In  addition  to  the  articles  mentioned,  all  anglers  who 
do  much  fly-fishing  should  have  a  good  sweater  and  rub- 
ber cape  with  arms  or  a  rubber  coat,  and  they  should  be  of 
ample  size  for  comfort  when  casting. 

While  I  have  dwelt  almost  entirely  upon  the  practical 
and  somewhat  scientific  side  of  trout  fly-fishing,  I  am 
nevertheless  desirous  that  my  readers  should  realize  the 
many  pleasures  and  benefits  that  necessarily  must  be  asso- 

272 


FOR       ATTACHING      JLEADER       TO      FEY 
U^A-M  KNOT  


PLATE     E 


ai^^ 


FIG.     3 


TURLE      KNOT 


JAM  KNOT  AND  TURLE  KNOT 


TROUT    FLY-FISHING    IN    AMERICA 

ciated  with  the  sport,  especially  if  the  angler  has  the  true 
spirit  of  Izaak  Walton,  the  Master  Angler  of  years  ago. 

Of  all  sport,  I  know  of  none  that  seems  to  develop  in 
the  individual  such  a  kindly  spirit,  such  a  full  apprecia- 
tion of  all  living  things,  and  such  an  absorbing  love  for 
the  many  and  varied  charms  of  "the  open"  as  fly-fishing. 

It  matters  little  where  one  fishes  for  the  "speckled 
beauty,"  for  Nature  always  supplies  in  one  form  or  an- 
other surroundings  which  are  interesting,  instructive, 
ever-changing  and  beautiful,  and  the  wonderful  part  of 
it  all  is  that  no  two  places  are  alike  or  have  the  same  at- 
tractive features. 

Fly-fishing  is  not  only  a  real,  artistic  and  scientific 
sport,  but  it  is  a  true  panacea  for  "tired  nerves,"  and  its 
application  offers  a  most  wonderful  opportunity  to  recu- 
perate, among  surroundings  which  are  at  the  same  time 
healthful,  beautiful  and  peaceful. 

I  have  not  touched  upon  the  many  charms  of  the  lakes 
and  streams  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  and  privilege  to 
fish,  year  after  year,  because  other  writers  have  done  so 
much  to  bring  the  beauties  of  the  country  to  the  public 
notice;  and  also  because  this  book  was  written  with  the 
view  of  giving  to  the  young  anglers,  as  well  as  older  ones, 
some  ideas  about  trout  fly-fishing  that  might  benefit  them, 
and  with  the  hope  of  arousing  in  them  and  others  a  greater 
enthusiasm  for  the  clean,  healthful,  dignified  and  delight- 
ful pastime. 


273 


GLOSSARY 

A  Cast.    A  leader  with  one  or  more  flies  attached. 

A  Disciple.    A  follower  of  some  method  or  person. 

A  Dropper-Fly.    A  fly  that  is  attached  to  a  loop  on  a  leader 
other  than  the  end  loop. 

A  Pricked  Fish.    One  that  has  not  been  hooked,  but  has  felt  the 
point  of  the  hook  when  struck. 

A  Racer.    An  unusually  long  and  very  thin  fish. 

A  Rise.    A  fish  coming  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  nearly  so. 

A  Strike.    A  fish  taking  a  fly. 

A  Sulking  Fish.    A  fish,  after  being  hooked,  that  goes  to  the 
bottom  and  remains  nearly  motionless. 

An  End-Fly.    The  fly  that  is  attached  to  an  end  loop  of  a  leader. 

An  Eyed- Fly.    A  fly  having  only  an  eye  to  which  the  leader  or 
snell  can  be  attached. 

Break  Water.    When  a  fish  jumps  out  of  the  water  it  is  said  to 
"break  water." 

Caught  Foul.    A  fish  hooked  otherwise  than  in  the  mouth. 

Dry-Fly  Purist.     The  dry-fly  angler  who  observes  all  the  set 
rules  of  dry-fly  fishing  to  a  nicety. 

Fishing  "Up-Stream."    Fishing  against  the  current. 

Fishing  "Across  Stream."   Fishing  at  right  angles  to  the  stream. 

275 


GLOSSARY 

Fishing  "Down  Stream."   Fishing  with  the  current. 

Giving  the  Butt.  Putting  a  heavy  strain  on  a  hooked  fish,  thus 
bending  the  tip  toward  the  butt  of  the  rod. 

Fish  Sense.  A  peculiar  gift  possessed  by  some  anglers  by  which 
they  know  about  fish  and  their  ways  without  reasoning. 

Hammer  the  Water.  When  casting  to  strike  the  water  hard 
with  the  line,  leader  and  fly. 

Hung  Up.  An  expression  used  when  in  casting,  the  fly,  leader,  or 
line,  becomes  caught  in  any  way. 

Jigging.    When  a  fish  shakes  its  head  repeatedly  from  side  to  side. 

Large  Fly.    A  fly  tied  on  a  Number  4  or  larger  hook. 

Light  Hold.    A  fish  that  is  lightly  hooked. 

Medium  Fly.    A  fly  tied  on  a  Number  6  and  8  hook. 

Over-run  Line,  or  Over-shot  Line.  A  line  that  has  been  un- 
wound rapidly  on  the  reel  and  on  that  account  has  become 
tangled. 

Paying  Out  a  Line.  Giving  line  to  a  hooked  fish  when  making 
a  rush  or  pulling  hard. 

Powerful  Rod.    One  that  is  stiff  and  well  balanced. 

Resilient  Rod.  A  rod  that  has  the  element  of  resilience;  the 
power  to  spring  back  to  its  original  or  natural  position  after 
being  bent. 

Retrieving  a  Line.  Taking  in  a  line  either  by  hand  or  by  the 
reel. 

Slack  Line.   A  line  that  is  not  taut,  one  that  is  loose,  not  tight. 

Small  Fly.    A  fly  tied  on  a  Number  10,  12,  14  and  16  hook. 

Snell  or  Snod.    The  silkworm  gut  that  is  attached  to  a  fly. 

276 


GLOSSARY 

Snelled  Fly.    A  fly  having  a  snell  attached. 

Soft  Rod.    One  that  is  very  willowy,  flexible  or  bending. 

Stiff  Rod.    One  that  is  not  easily  bent. 

Strike  from  the  Hand.    Striking  a  fish  with  the  line  held  in  the 
hand  with  no  pull  coming  on  the  reel. 

Strike  from  the  Reel.    Striking  a  fish  with  the  line  pulling  di- 
rectly on  the  reel. 

The  Code.    The  rules  and  regulations  for  the  application  of  dry- 
fly  fishing. 

Well-hooked.   A  fish  that  is  securely  hooked. 


277 


INDEX 


American  Arctic  Trout,  io. 
American  Dry-Flies,  250,  251. 
American  Saibling,  8. 
American  Wet-Flies,  246-252,  253- 

256. 
Androscoggin  River,  218,  219. 
Arctic  Trout,  id. 
Author's  Classification  of  North 

American  Trout,  8,  9,  11,  12. 
Arizona, 

Favorite  wet-flies,  242. 


B 


Beardslee  Trout,  The 

Classification,  11. 

Habitat,  23. 

Size,  23. 
Black  Spotted  Trout,  The 

Classification,  7,  9. 
Blue  Back  Trout,  The 

(See  Rangeley  Trout.) 
Blue  Back  Trout  of  Lake  Cres- 
cent (Wash.),  The 

Classification,  6,11. 
Brook  Trout,  The 

Activity  in  May,  June  and  September, 
128. 

Best  temperature  for,  73,  74. 

Blindness  of,  134,  135,  136. 

Classification  of,  5,  8,  12. 

Difference  between  Brown  and,  73, 
74. 


Effect  of  environment  on,  124,  125, 

126,  129,  136. 
Extermination  of,   i. 
Feeding  time  of,  123,  132,  184,  185. 
Food  of,  125,  127,  128,  129,  136,  153, 

155,  156. 
Gaminess  of,  15. 
Habitat,  14,  177. 
Habits  of,  123,  132,  184,  185. 
How  to  clean,  264,  265. 
How  to  kill,  263,  264. 
How  to  prepare  and  transport,  265, 

266. 
How  to  tell  weight  from  length,  266. 
In  southern  streams,  15. 
Marine  and  migratory  habits,  15. 
Markings  of,  5. 
Northern  limits  of,  14. 
Propagation  in  western  waters,  5. 
"Racers,"  267. 
Rapid  growth  of,  15. 
Ready  rise  to  artificial  fly,  15,  128. 
"Rolling"  of,  131,  132,  223. 
Size  of,  14., 
Teeth  of,   5. 
Transplantation  of,  4. 
Weight  of,  15,  222,  223. 
Brown  Trout,  The 
Characteristics  of,  37. 
Classification  of,  8,  9,  I2. 
Color  of,  37. 
Differences  between  Brook  and,  73, 

74. 
English,  The,  38. 
Feeding  time  of,  124,  127. 
Habitat,  37. 


279 


INDEX 


Hardiness,  38. 

Importation,  of,  37. 

Markings  of,  5. 

Propagation  in  western  waters,  5. 

Striking  from  reel  when  fishing  for, 

189. 
Suitable  temperature  for,  73,  74. 
Transplantation  of,  37. 
Bull  Trout 
Classification,  8. 


California 

Favorite  wet-fllies,  239. 
Camp,  Samuel  G. 

On  fishing  the  fly,  90,  91. 

"The  Fine  Art  of  Fishing,"  57. 
Canada 

Red  trout  of,  18. 

Size  of  trout  along  coasts  of,  15. 
Casting,  Fly 

Backward  cast,  171,  173,  174. 

Control  of  line  in,  174. 

Curvature,  of  rod  in,  175. 

Differences  in  methods,  60. 

"Expert  casters,"  201,  202,  203. 

Fly  Caster  versus  Fly  Fisherman,  201, 
202. 

Forward  cast,  171,  173,  174. 

La  Branche,  Mr.,  on  accuracy,  50. 

"Nerves"  in,  92. 

Overhead  casting,  170. 

Primarily  a  mechanical  art,  88. 

Requirements  in,  47. 

Short,  medium  and  long  casts,   175, 
176. 

Switch  cast,  70. 

Tournament  casting,  47. 

Underhand  cast,  170. 

Upstream  casting,  178. 

^ing  or  horizontal  cast,  170. 


Charr 

Characteristics  of,  13,  14. 

Classification  of,  5. 

Markings  of,  5. 

Teeth  of,  5. 

(For  other  particulars  refer  to  Brook 
Trout.) 
Colorado 

Favorite  wet-flies,  237. 
Colorado  River  Trout 

Characteristics,  29,  30. 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  29. 
Coloration  of  Brook  Trout 

Abnormal  coloration,  137. 

Changed  coloration  due  to  water  con- 
ditions,! 137. 

Degrees  and  varieties  of  pigmentation, 

133,  134,  142. 

Factors  and  elements  in,  138. 

Four    degrees    of    coloration,     133, 

134- 
Harris,  Mr.  Wm.  C,  on  coloration, 

134,  135. 

Influence  of  water  bottoms  on,  140, 
141,  143,  144,  145,  146,  153,  I54» 
156. 

Position  of  pigment  cells,  140. 
Columbia  River  Trout 

Characteristics,  34. 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  33,  34. 
Connecticut 

Favorite  wet-flies,  230. 
Crescent  Trout 

Classification,  10. 


D 


Dame,  Stoddard  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 
Data  concerning  balance  of  fly-rods, 
109. 


►80 


INDEX 


Delaware 

Favorite  wet-flies,  232. 

English  origin  of,  44. 

Especially-made  flies,  48. 

False  casting  in,  54. 

Favorite  dry-flies    (American),   250, 

251. 

Favorite  dry-flies  (English),  248,  249. 

Fly,  The,  54. 

Halford,  Frederick  M.,  list  of  Eng- 
lish dry-flies,  248,  249., 

Leaders  used  in,  54. 

Lines  used  in,  54,  112. 

Physical  conditions  in,  64. 

Requirements  in,  48,  176. 

Restrictions  in,  65. 

Skill  required  in  use,  59. 

Tapered  lines  in,  112. 
Dewar^  Geo.  A.  B. 

"The  Book  of  the  Dry-fly,"  71,  72. 

List  of  dry-flies,  249. 
Dolly  Varden  Trout,  The 

(See  M alma,  Trout.) 
Dry-Fly  Method  of  Fly-Fishino 

Casting,  54. 

Comparison  between  wet  and,  60,  61, 
62,  67,  68. 

Comparison  of  both  methods  by  G.  A. 
B.  Dewar,  71. 

Defended  by  exponents,  42. 

Drag,  the,  55. 

Elimination  of  playing  fly  in,  55. 
Dublin  Pond  Trout,  The 

Classification,  5,  9. 

Length,  16. 

Markings,  16. 


English  Brown  Trout,  The 
(See  Brown  Trout.) 


Eyesight  of  Trout,  The 

Color-blindness  disputed,  163,  164. 

Coloration  of  fly,  192. 

Differences  between  eye  of  man  and 

trout,  157,  158. 
Harris,  Wm.  C,  on  the,  163. 
Henshall,  Dr.  James  A.,  on  the,  163. 
In  lakes  and  deep  streams,  160. 
Normal  eyesight  in  June,  160,  186. 
Poorest  eyesight  in  Spring,  161,  186. 
Testing  sight  with  Nos.   10  and   12 

flies,  161. 
Testing  sight  with  Nos.  4  and  6  flies, 

161. 
Wide  range  of  vision,  178. 


Field  and  Stream 

"Trying-out"  wet  and  dry-fly  meth- 
ods, 67. 
Floeberg  Trout,  The 

Classification,  10. 

Habitat,  20. 
Fly,  The 

Brook  trout  rising  to,  74. 

Brown  trout  rising  to,  74. 

Care  of,  261. 

Color  classification  of,  199. 

Color  of  flies  to  use  at  different  peri- 
ods of  day,  197,  198. 

Cost  of  flies,  36. 

Dark  and  light  colored  flies,  191-199. 

Fishing  the  fly,  118,  181,  182,  183. 

Fly-book,  93. 

Fly-box,  93. 

List  of  favorite    wet-flies,    246-252, 
252-256. 

List  of  favorite  dry-flies  (American), 
250,  251. 

List  of  favorite  dry-flies    (English), 
248,  249. 


281 


INDEX 


List  of  favorite  wet-flies  in 

Arizona,^242. 

California,  239. 

Colorado,  237. 

Connecticut,  230. 

Delaware,  232. 

Maine,  228. 

Massachusetts,  230. 

Michigan,  234. 

Minnesota,  235. 

Montana,  236. 

Nevada,  242. 

New  Hampshire,  229. 

New  Jersey,  232. 

New  York,  231. 

Oregon,  240. 

Pennsylvania,  232. 

Rhode  Island,  230. 

Virginia  and  W.  Virginia,  233. 

Vermont,  229. 

Washington,  238. 

Wisconsin,  235. 

Wyoming,  241. 
Method  of  playing,    118,    182,    183, 

188. 
Number  of  flies  to  be  used,  120,  182. 
Size  of  fly,  182,  269,  270. 
"Snapping"  the  fly,  174. 
"Sodden"  or  "Sunken"  flies,  51,  52, 

68. 
Weather  conditions  affecting  choice  of 

flies,  192. 


Golden  Trout,  The 

Characteristics,  35. 

Classification,  8,  9,  I2. 

Coloration,  38. 

Game  qualities,  35. 
Golden  Trout  of  Mount  Whitney 

Classification  of,  7,  11. 
Golden  Trout  of  Soda  Creek 

Classification,   7,   11. 

Habitat,  36. 
Golden  Trout  of  South  Fork, 
Kern  River 

Classification,  11. 

Habitat,  36. 
Golden  Trout  of  Volcano  Creek 

Classification,  7,  11. 

Habitat,  36. 
Gray  Trout,  The 

(See  Dublin  Pond  Trout.) 
Great  Basin  of  Utah  Trout 

(See  Utah  Lake  Trout.) 
Great  Lake  Trout,  The 

Classification,  6,  9,  10,  12. 
(See  Lake  Trout.) 
Green-Back  Trout,  The 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  31. 

Characteristics,  32. 
Greenland  Trout,  The 

Classification,  6,  10. 

Habitat,  20. 

Size,  20. 


H 


Gaffing,  223. 
German  Trout,  The 

(See  Brown  Trout.) 
Gill,  Mr.  Emlyn  M. 

"Practical  Dry-fly  Fishing,"  59,  66, 
67,  68,  69. 

List  of  American  dry-flies,  250. 


Halford,  Mr.  Frederick  M. 

List  of  works,  451. 

List  of  favorite  English  dry-flies,  248. 

On  force  of  strike,  189. 

On  striking  from  reel,  189. 
Harris,  Mr.  Wm.  C. 

Brook  trout  coloration,  134,  135. 


282 


INDEX 


Hearing  of  trout,  i68,  169. 
Sight  of  trout,  163. 
Hearing  of  Trout 

Concussion  affecting,   166,  167,   168, 

169. 
Delicate  construction  of  internal  ear, 

166,  168. 
Harris,    Wm.    C,    on    acuteness    of 

hearing,  163,  168,  169. 
Water  as  a  medium,  166. 
Henshall^  Dr.  James  A. 
Eyesight  of  trout,  163,  164. 
Functions  of  the  fly-rod,  76-84. 


Ichthyologists'    Classification    of 
Native  Trout,  5-8. 


K 


Kamloops  Trout^  The 

Classification  of,  6,  10. 

Coloring,  23. 

Habitat,  23. 
Kern  River  Trout,  The 

Classification,  7. 

Habitat,  36. 
Knots 

Attaching  flies  to  leader,  98. 

Tying    end    and    dropper    loops    on 
leader,  212. 

Tying  leaders  to  line,  97,  98. 

Used  in  fly-fishing,  271. 

Used  in  making  leaders,  210,  211. 


Lac  De  Marbre  Trout,  The 

Classification,  6,  10. 

Habitat,  18. 
Lake  Trout  of  Lake  Superior,  The 

Characteristics,  39. 


Classification,  6,  10. 

Habitat,  24. 
Lake  Tahoe  Trout,  The 

Classification,  8. 

Habitat,  34. 

Markings,  34. 
Lake  Trout,  The 

Classification,  9. 

Great  size  of,  39. 

Habitat,  39. 
Loch  Leven  Trout,  The 

(See  Brown  Trout.) 
Long  Headed  Trout  of  Lake  Cres- 
cent (Wash.),  The 

Classification,  6,  11. 

Habitat,  20. 
Long  Finned  Trout,  The 

Classification,  6,  10. 
Lower  California  Rainbow  Trout, 
The 

Classification,  7,  ii. 

Habitat,  26. 

Small  size,  26. 
La  Branche,  Mr.  George  M. 

On  the  functions  of  the  rod,  76-87. 

"The  Dry-fly  in  America,"  50. 
Landing  Net 

Best  kind  of,  261. 

Care  of,  261. 

Cost  of,  93. 

Use  in  preference  to  gaff,  223. 
Leader 

Attaching  leader  to  line,  97. 

Best  color  for,  113,  117,  118. 

Care  of,  216,  217,  260. 

Coloring  of,  214. 

Cost  of,  93. 

Cost  of  leader  box,  93, 

Deerfat  used  for  drying,  54. 

Drying,  213. 

Gossamer  leaders,  204. 

Grades  of,  112,  117. 

How  to  attach  flies  to,  98. 


283 


INDEX 


Howjto  handle  gut  in  making  lead- 
ers, 210. 

Knots  used  in  tying  flies  to,  98. 

Knots  used  in  tying  leader  to  line,  97. 

Length  of  leaders,  113,  117,  118. 

Preparation  of  gut,  209. 

Selection  of  silkworm  gut  in  making, 
207,  208. 

Strength  of,  113,  117,  118. 

Tapered  leaders,  54,  117,  118. 

Test  of,  117,  213. 

Tying  gut  strands  into,  210,  211,  212. 
LiNE^  The 

Agate  guides  for,  102. 

Care  of,  260. 

Control  of,  174,  189,  190. 

Cost  of,  93. 

"Feel"  of,  174. 

Flat  lines,  no,  ill. 

Handling,  97. 

How  to  attach  leader,  97. 

Kinds  of  lines,  no. 

Tapered  lines,  54,  no,  iii,  112. 

Wells,  Mr.  Henry  P.,  on  choice  of, 
III. 
London  "Field" 

Rarity  of  expert  wet-fly  fishermen,  66. 
London  "Fishing  Gazette" 

Rarity  of  expert  wet-fly  fishermen,  66. 
LuNGE^  The 

(See  Lake  Trout.) 

M 

Maine 
Androscoggin  River,  218,  219. 
Bait-fishing  in,  220. 
Blue-back  trout,  220. 
Camping  in,  225. 
Cost  of  boats,  food,  guides,  225. 
Cupsuptic  Lake  and  Stream,  218. 
Favorite  wet-flies,  228. 
Fish  and  Game  Commission,  22 1. 
Growth  of  trout  in,  15. 


Guides,  224,  225. 

Kennebago  Falls,  218,  220,  224. 

Kennebago  Lake,  218,  220. 

Kennebago  Stream,  218,,  220,  224. 

Little  Kennebago  Lake,  58,  162,  21 1 

Lower  Richardson  Lake,  218,  220. 

Minnow  in  Rangeley  Lakes,  220. 

Molechunkemunk  Lake,  220. 

Mooselucmaguntic  Lake,  218,  220. 

Open  season  in,  224. 

Oquassoc  Lake,  220. 

Parmachenee  Lake,  218,  219. 

Rangeley  Region,  218-220. 

Seven  Ponds,  218,  220. 

Size  of  trout,  15,  221,  222,  224. 

Spawning,  16. 

Trolling,  220. 

Umbagog  Lake,  218,  220. 

Upper  Richardson  Lake,  218,  220. 
Mackinaw  Trout^  The 

(See, Lake  Trout.) 
Malma  Trout,  The 

Classification,  8,  10. 

Habitat,  21. 

Markings,  21. 
Marbury,  Mary  Orvis 

"Favorite  Flies,"  226. 
Marston  Trout,  The 

(See  Lac  de  Marbre  Trout.) 
Massachusetts 

Favorite  wet-flies,  230. 
Michigan 

Favorite  wet-flies,  234. 
Minnesota 

Favorite  wet-flies,  235. 
Montana 

Favorite  wet-flies,  236. 

N 

Naresi  Trout,  The 
Classification,  6,  10. 
Habitat,  19. 


284 


INDEX 


Native  Game  Fish,  3. 
Nevada 

Favorite  wet-flies,  242. 
NissuEE  Trout,  The 

(See  No-Shee  Trout.) 
No-Shee  Trout,  The 

Classification,  7,  n. 

Habitat,  26. 

Size  and  voracity,  26. 

o 

Oquassa  Trout,  The 
(See  Rangeley  Trout.) 

Oregon 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  240. 

Orvis,  Charles  F. 
"Favorite  Flies,"  226. 


Paraffin  Oil 

Used  in  drying  dry-flies,  54. 
Pennsylvania 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  232. 
Pigmy  Trout,  The 

(See  Lower^ Calif ornia  Trout.) 

R 

Rainbow  Trout,  The 

Classification,  6,  9,  11,  I2. 

Coloring,  134. 

Evermann,  Professor,  on,  25. 

Jordan,  David  Starr,  on,  25. 

Large  scales  and  head,  24. 

Propagation  in  western  waters,  5. 

Transplantation,  4,  25. 
Rainbow  Trout  of  Lower  Califor- 
nia, The 

Classification,  7,  11. 
Rainbow  Trout  of  McLoud  River, 
The 

Classification,  7,  II. 

Habitat,  26. 


Rainbow  Trout  of  West  Oregon, 
The 

Classification,  6,  li. 

Habitat,  25. 
Rangeley  Trout,  The 

Changed  habits  of,  18. 

Classification,  5,  8,  9,  12. 

Gradual  disappearance,  17. 

Seymour,  Mr.,  on,  17,  18. 

Weight  of,  15,  17. 
Red  Throat  Trout,  The 

Characteristics,  27,  28. 

Classification,  7,  9,  11,  12. 

Evermann,  Professor,  on,  28,  29. 

Game  qualities,  28,  29. 

Habitat,  27. 

Jordan,  David  Starr,  27,  28. 

Sea-run,  28. 

Size,  28. 

Teeth,  5. 

Variation,  28. 
Reel,  The 

Balance,  104,  171,  172. 

Care  of,  259,  260. 

Cost,  93. 

Function  of,  103,  104. 

Halford,    Mr.    F.    M.,    on    striking 
from,  189. 

Kinds  of,  164. 

Mistake  in  choosing  too  light  a  reel, 
104. 

Single-action  click,  104. 

Striking  from  reel,  188,  189,  190. 

Striking     from    reel    in    fishing    for 
Brown  Trout,  189. 

Tabulation   showing  proper  weight, 
108. 

Weight,  104. 
Rhode  Island 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  230. 
Rio  Grande  Trout,  The 

Characteristics,  30. 


285 


INDEX 


Classification,  7,  ii. 

Habitat,  30. 
Rio   Santa   Ana   Rainbow  Trout^ 
The 

Classification,  7,  li. 

Habitat,  26. 
Rocky  Mountain  Trout 

Classification,  7,  9. 
Rod,  The 

Agate  tip  and  butt  ring  guides,  102. 

Arcs  described  by  tip  and  butt,  172, 

173,  174. 
Bathabara  wood,  103. 
Breakage  at  joints,  10 1. 
Bronze  snake  guides,  102. 
Care  of,  259. 

Carrying  a  "set-up"  rod,  262,  263. 
Cost,  93. 

Curvature  of  rod  in  casting,  175. 
Data  concerning  balance,   109,    110, 

171. 
Disjointing,  258. 
Fitting  reel  to  rod,  105. 
Functions,  75-87. 
"Giving  the  Butt,"  116. 
Greenheart,  103. 
Henshall,  Dr.  James  A.,  on,  76. 
How  to  hold  or  grip,  95. 
Lancewood,  103. 
Length,  118,  268. 
Materials,  103. 
Placing  reel  on  rod,  96. 
Resilience,  54,  103. 
Round  rods,  99. 
Setting-up  rods,  259. 
Split  bamboo  rods,  99,  103,  107. 
Stiffness,  54. 

Strength  of  rods,  267,  268. 
Table  of  relative  weight  and  strength 

of   hexagonal   split    bamboo    rods, 

103. 
Table  of  weights  of  reels  to  use  with 

rods,  108. 


Warping  of  round  rods,  100. 
Weakest  points  of  rods,  loi. 
Weight,  107,  268. 
Rules  of  the  Road,  258,  259. 


Saibling,  The  American,  8. 
Salmon 

Landlocked,  220. 

SALMONIDi^ 

Characteristics,  13,  14. 

Classification,  6,  7,  8. 

Food,  220. 

Position  of  fins,  13. 
Salmon  Trout,  The 

Classification,  9. 
Salmon   Trout   of   Lake    Suther- 
land, The 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  33. 
Silver  Trout,  The 

Classification,  12. 
Silver  Trout  of  Lake  Tahoe 

Classification,  8. 

Habitat,  35. 

Size,  35. 

SiSCOWET 

(See  Lake  Trout.) 
Spawning 

Coloration  of  trout  in,  145. 

Time  of,  16. 

Working  downstream  after,  145. 
Speckled  Beauty,  The 

(See  Brook  Trout.) 
Speckled  Trout  of  Lake  Crescent, 
The 

Classification,  6,  10. 
Spotted   Trout   of   Lake   Suther- 
land, The 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  33. 


286 


INDEX 


Square  Tail 

(See  Brook  Trout.) 
Steelhead  Trout^  The 

Breaking  water,  15. 

Classification,  6,  9,  10,  12. 

Coloration  changes,  137. 

Gameness,  15,  22. 

Habitat,  22. 

Marine  habits,  22. 

Markings,  22. 

Propagation  in  eastern  waters,  5. 

Small  scales,  22. 

Transplantation,  4. 
Stone's  Trout 

(See  No-Shee  Trout.) 
Streams 

Casting  across  stream,  61,  69. 

Casting  downstream,  61. 

Casting  upstream,  54,  69. 

Conservation,  2. 

Depletion,  2. 

Fishing  the  stream,  71. 
Striking  the  Trout 

Clearness  of  water  a  factor  to  be  con- 
sidered, 186. 

"Don'ts"  in,  187. 

Force  used,  186,  187,  189. 

Kalford,  Mr.  F.  M.,  on  striking  from 
reel,  189. 

Striking  from  hand-held  line,  188. 

Striking  from  reel,  188. 
SuNAPEE  Trout^  The 

Classification,  6,  8,  10,  12. 

Habitat,  19.; 

Large  size,  20. 

Transplantation,  19. 


Tahoe  Trout,  The 
Classification,  9,  12. 
Finest  of  the  Cutthroat  series,  34. 
Habitat,.  34,  35. 


Thomas,  Bangor,  Me. 

Data  concerning  balance  of  Fly-rods, 
no. 
ToGUE,  The 

(See  Lake  Trout.) 


U 

Utah  Lake  Trout,  The 
Classification,  7,  12. 
Habitat,  30. 
Pale  coloring,  31. 


Vermont 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  229. 
Vertebra 

Number  in  trout,  13. 
Virginia  and  West  Virginia 

Favorite  wet- flies  in,  233. 
Von  Behr  Trout,  The 

(See  Brown  Trout.) 


W 


Waha  Lake  Trout,  The 

Characteristics,  33. 

Classification,  7,  12. 

Habitat,  32. 
Washington 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  238. 
Wells,  Mr.  Henry  P. 

"Fly  Rods  and  Fly-tackle,"  66,  67, 

72. 
On  choice  of  lines,  in. 
On  choice  of  silkworm  gut,  114. 
Wet-fly  Method  of  Fly-fishing 
Camp,  Samuel  G.,  on  fishing  the  fly, 

57. 


287 


INDEX 


Skill  needed  in,  59,  176. 

Taut  line,  57. 
Wisconsin 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  235. 
Wyoming 

Favorite  wet-flies  in,  241. 


Comparison  of  dry  and  wet-flyi  meth- 
ods, 60,  61,  62,  67,  68,  71. 

Criticisms  of  opponents,  41,  42. 

Dewar,  G.  A.  B.,  on  the  two  methods, 
71,  72. 

Few  restrictions  in,  65. 

Fishing  the  flies,  49,  56,  57,  58,  62, 
63. 

Gill,  Emlyn  M.,  on  skill  required  in,      Yellow-Fin  Trout.  The 
5^'  Characteristics,  33, 

La    Branche,    Mr.,    on    accuracy    of  Classification,  7,  12. 

casting,  50.  Habitat,.  32. 

Playing  fly  at  side  of  current,  181.  Yellowstone  Trout,  The 

Playing  the  fly,  180.  Classification,  7,  12. 

Requirements,  48,  56,  176.  Habitat,  33. 


288 


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